Stafkirkjan Church

Stafkirkjan stands at Skansinn, the old fort site above Heimaey's harbour, in the Westman Islands off Iceland's south coast. It is a close copy of Norway's medieval Haltdalen stave church, given to Iceland in 2000 to mark the millennium of the country's conversion to Christianity. Built from timber, shingles and tar in the old stave technique, it has a dark tiered roof that stands out against the green cliffs and the sea. An outer gallery helps it withstand the islands' storms, and the 1973 Eldfell eruption stopped just short of it.