Kirkjuvogskirkja

The church is painted black, one of only three in Iceland that still are, and that is what registers first from the road. It was built in 1861 and follows a plain classical line: squared off, almost without ornament, and simpler than most Icelandic country churches. It is also a working village church, with houses directly across from it rather than open country. The churchyard around it is well kept, and from its seaward side there is a view over the ocean. The ground in front of the church holds the ruins of a Viking-age fishing cabin.

• The inside is not guaranteed. The church is not always open, and a visit can come down to the exterior and the churchyard.
• No shelter. The churchyard stands open to the sea, with nothing to break the wind or the rain. Bring a windproof layer.
• A stopover, not an outing. There is one thing to see here. Plan it as a stop on the drive rather than a destination.

Kirkjuvogskirkja stands in the village of Hafnir on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It is a short detour off road 44, the road most people are already on when driving to Keflavík. Come by car. The church is inside the village itself, so you park at the site and walk up to the churchyard from there.

Kirkjuvogskirkja is a parish church in a lived-in village, and a private house stands directly opposite it. Keep voices down and do not disturb the residents. The churchyard is a burial ground, not a garden, and the graves are tended: walk through it quietly and leave them alone.