What to see in Tórshavn

you may be wondering what to see in Tórshavn because they have told you about the Faroe Islands and you want to know its capital. In fact, this city is the administrative center of that archipelago belonging to Denmark, although with the status of an autonomous country.

Specifically, Torshavn is located in the eastern part of streymoy, which is the largest island in the Faroes. As an anecdote, we will tell you that the name of this archipelago can be translated as "lambs islands" due to the large number of them that inhabited them. But, returning to what interests you most, we are going to present to you what to see in Tórshavn. However, first we want to tell you a little about its history.

Brief history of the Faroes

This archipelago is made up of 18 islands of volcanic origin, all of which are inhabited except one. They have a mountainous profile, with spectacular cliffs and stand out for their green meadows. However, interestingly, they do not have large forests.

Its first inhabitants arrived around the 10th century. They were Vikings coming from other Nordic territories who settled, for example, in Tórshavn. From this, the city grew, developing the historic center that you can still partially see today. Receives the name of tinganes and it has only been partially preserved due to a devastating fire that occurred in 1673.

Already at that time, the Faroe Islands belonged to the Danish crown, although they had first been part of the Norwegian crown. Already in 1948, the archipelago received a wide autonomy, with its own government and parliament. Its unofficial capital was already Tórshavn, which then became the legal one.

On the other hand, it is interesting that you know that the Faroese have deep-rooted sense of national identity. They are very proud of their Nordic culture and their own language and even have their official church. Likewise, the origin of the name Tórshavn is curious. Comes from the Old Norse word Porshöfn, Meaning "port of Thor" and therefore pays homage to the god of thunder from Norse mythology.

What to See in Tórshavn

Now that we know a little better about the history of the capital of the Faroe Islands, let's discover what to see in Tórshavn. The city has barely about twenty thousand inhabitants. Therefore, she is small and you will be able to see her in a short time. But we recommend that you dedicate at least a couple of days to get to know it well because it has a lot to offer you.

tinganes

As we told you before, it is the historic center that has remained standing. When you visit it, you will feel like you are traveling back in time. You will find wooden houses painted in bright colors and equipped with thatched roofs. This is what happens in the part called Undir Ryggi, where the street is located Gongin, which was the main one in the city in the 19th century.

Also found in this neighborhood are the headquarters of the Council of Ministers and other government buildings. But, above all, it has the charm of everyday life. You will see children's bicycles at the doors of houses and even clothes hanging in the patios. However, if you want to take photos of such a picturesque place, you must ask permission to its inhabitants. Otherwise, they might get upset.

Tórshavn Cathedral

Very close to the previous one, on the same Tinganes peninsula, is the city's cathedral. It was built in the 17th century and externally stands out for its sobriety. However, it has a beautiful and slender tower with a chiming clock at its peak.

But even more beautiful is its interior. Has an altarpiece painted by Ditlev Blunck, great Danish painter of the Golden Age, who was donated to the city by the king Frederick VI. More curious is the model of a ship hanging from the ceiling. It is a replica of the Norske Love, which was shipwrecked on the coast. The replica was placed in the temple by the survivors of the incident as gratitude for their luck. It is very common in the churches of the Faroe Islands.

The port and Skansin fort, other essential places to see in Tórshavn

Next to the aforementioned Tinganes neighborhood, the port or Vágsbotn It is the other essential point to see in Tórshavn. It is a charming space, with its colorful houses and boats rocking on the waters of the North Atlantic. Regarding this magical place, we advise you to visit the Solution or fish market when it is in the process of selling the merchandise.

You can also take a ferry from the port that will take you to the neighboring island of Nolsoy. However, to do so, we recommend that you choose the Norolysio, an old fishing boat that has been converted into a tourist boat and offers excursions around the bay.

On the other hand, behind the port you have the Skansin fort, built at the end of the 16th century to defend the city from pirate attacks. Two hundred years later it would be expanded and would play a fundamental role during the Second World War as a base for English troops. It still preserves a good part of its cannons and the lighthouse that guides the ships. Furthermore, it offers you wonderful views of Tórshavn and the surrounding islands.

The Nordic House and other museums

Among the things to see in Tórshavn you also have interesting museums. The call nordic house It is the most important cultural institution in the country. It aims to promote the relationship between the Faroes and their Nordic neighbors through art exhibitions.

Its headquarters is spectacular. It imitates an elf hill and is built with materials from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. Likewise, its roof is made of straw. Inside you have several permanent exhibitions and other temporary ones. In addition, it serves as a stage for musical events such as the North Atlantic Festival, which is celebrated every two years.

No less interesting is another exhibition place to see in Tórshavn. Its about National Museum of the Faroe Islands. In this you can learn about the history of the archipelago from the Viking era to the present. As an example of its valuable pieces, we will tell you about the original pews of Kirkjubour Church, which date back to the year 1400.

Moreover, Listsavn Foroya is the name given to the National Gallery of Art. It is located in one of the city's parks and offers you a wide sample of Faroese and Danish authors ranging from the great old masters to contemporary ones. Some pieces are found outside, but we advise you to see, above all, the Blue Room, which houses the best creations.

In this sense, the paintings of Samal Joensen Mikines, painter of the early 20th century. However, the most original piece is the one named Whale War, which is a huge whale created from thousands of toy soldier figures. The facility also has a cafeteria and store where you can buy a postcard or other souvenir of your visit.

Finally, it is interesting Tórshavn aquarium. It stands out for its simplicity and for the multitude of native species it houses. In addition, it organizes activities for children such as crab fishing in its outdoor tank or the touch pool with starfish. However, it is only open on weekends.

Vioarlundin Park

When we started talking to you about what to see in Tórshavn, we told you that the Faroes Islands do not have large forests. However the Vioarlundin park is the exception. There are eight hectares of trees that constitute the true lung of the city. Some have even been imported from South America.

And, among them, there are quiet paths where you can walk next to streams populated by ducks and trout, while listening to the birdsong. Likewise, you can see in this place the monument to fallen sailors during World War II.

Other towns on the island of Streymoy

If you travel to the island of Streymoy, in addition to discovering what to see in Tórshavn, you will also be interested in knowing what other towns you can visit there, since it only has 373 square kilometers. Among these, we recommend that you travel to Vestmanna, which is located in the northern area. It presents a wonderful natural environment, dominated by the mouth of the Gjogvará and the large cliffs.

We also advise you to discover Kollafjorour, in the central part. It also stands out for its nature, but also take a look at its peculiar 19th century church with a plant roof. For its part, Kirkjubour, on the western coast, was of great importance in medieval times, when it even became the seat of the bishop.

Therefore, in it you have to see the remains of the St. Magnus Cathedral, which dates back to the 13th century and responded to classic Gothic. Next to it you have, precisely, the bishop's house, from the 11th, and a little further away the most humble St. Olaf's Church, built in the XII. These are the benches that you can see in the National Museum of the Faroe Islands and that we mentioned previously. Likewise, to give you an idea of ​​the beauty of this small town, we will tell you that it chooses to enter the list of Heritage.

In conclusion, we have shown you the most interesting what to see in Tórshav. As you have seen, despite its small size, it has a lot to offer you. If you want to know a place full of charm among the Nordic countries, go ahead and visit this autonomous town, although belonging to Denmark. Will not disappoint you.