Viðeyjarstofa and Viðey church

Viðeyjarstofa and the Viðey church stand on Viðey, a small island in Kollafjörður bay a short ferry ride from Skarfabakki harbour in Reykjavik. The island has one of the longest recorded histories in the area: an Augustinian monastery was founded there in 1226 and remained a centre of learning and landholding until the Reformation, when it was dissolved in 1539. In the 18th century, Skúli Magnússon, the royal sheriff and promoter of the Innréttingar workshops, took up residence on the island. Viðeyjarstofa was built for him in 1752-1755, designed by the Danish architect Nicolai Eigtved's circle, and is counted among the oldest stone buildings in Iceland, alongside the neighbouring Viðey church, completed in 1774 and among the country's oldest churches. Both buildings are simple, whitewashed structures with steep roofs, in a restrained Danish colonial style. Viðeyjarstofa was restored in the 1980s by the Icelandic state and handed to the city of Reykjavik, and today it houses a restaurant and café, while the church is used for services and occasional events. The island itself is a nature reserve with walking paths, bird life, and sculptures, among them Richard Serra's Afangar, a work of basalt columns. The Imagine Peace Tower, created by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon, is lit from the island on certain dates each year. Visitors reach the island by ferry, run by Elding; schedules are daily in summer and weekends only from 1 September to 14 May, so timing should be checked on elding.is/videy-ferry. Because the buildings are best seen from the grounds, a visit usually combines the historic buildings with a walk across the island, taking a few hours in total. Food service and church opening depend on season.