Íslandsvarðan

Background

History & Background

Íslandsvarðan was created by Icelandic sculptor Jóhann Eyfells as part of Reykjavík’s shoreline sculpture installations along Sæbraut. The work reinterprets the traditional Icelandic route marker known as a varða using cast bronze instead of stacked stone, linking historic travel culture with contemporary public art. Today, the sculpture forms part of Reykjavík’s Sculpture and Shore Walk — a series of artworks placed along the coastline where visitors can explore the relationship between Icelandic landscape, navigation traditions, and modern artistic expression.

Íslandsvarðan is a bronze outdoor sculpture located along the shoreline at Sæbraut in Reykjavík. Created by Icelandic artist Jóhann Eyfells, the work draws inspiration from the traditional stone cairns that once served as essential route markers across Iceland’s open landscapes. These cairns helped travellers navigate between farms and settlements long before roads or modern navigation systems existed. Íslandsvarðan reinterprets this historic form in a contemporary sculptural language. Cast in bronze using natural earth-mould techniques, the sculpture reflects both the rugged character of Icelandic terrain and the long-standing cultural importance of cairns as symbols of orientation and movement through the landscape. Its circular opening frames views across Faxaflói Bay, encouraging visitors to engage directly with the surrounding coastline and distant mountains. The sculpture stands along Reykjavík’s Sculpture and Shore Walk, one of the city’s most popular waterfront walking routes. From this location, visitors can experience the meeting point of contemporary Icelandic art and the natural coastal environment that has shaped Reykjavík’s history as a harbour city. Today, Íslandsvarðan serves as both a cultural landmark and a quiet viewing point along the shoreline, linking Iceland’s traditional travel heritage with modern public art in the capital.