This week we're heading to the road I used to live on, Hamraborg, just outside the capital of Iceland.
At the end of the road is an interesting church called Kópavogskirkja (Church of Kópavogur). Sitting atop Borgarholt hill, which is known to be one of the most populated elf colonies in Iceland. The unusual church structure opened in 1963 overlooking both Reykjavík and Kópavogur.
One night I'd been out in downtown Reykjavík with some friends and I missed the last bus home so I had to take a taxi. The driver was very chatty and was giving me interesting facts about everywhere that we passed (as so many taxi drivers in Reyjavík do - it's a great way to take a tour of the city!). As we got closer to Hamraborg he shuddered as we approached the church.
"You live here...?" he asked slowly. "Do you know about the church?"
I shook my head, a little taken aback and slightly freaked out.
"My grandmother told me that when the church was being built, the elves tried to stop it."
I listened in awe as he told me the story of how the giant drills used to dig the foundations stopped working as soon as they touched the ground on the hill. The contruction workers were baffled as this had never happened before but they assumed that the drill was faulty. They ordered a new drill (at a large expense) and waited for it to be delivered. They tested the drill and it worked fine, so they went back to the hill. Again, as soon as the drill touched the ground, it stopped working. They deemed that the elves didn't want the church in that location so they moved it a few metres away from the original location. The drill worked finally and the church continued to be built with no more problems.
The landscape surrounding the church has been untouched and is very beautiful. Apparently this is so the elves can be left at peace...people don't want anymore trouble from them!
Sources:
https://visitreykjavik.is/kopavogskirkja-church
https://books.google.is/books?id=j-NMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=hamraborg+elves&source=bl&ots=WkRCSu1fp9&sig=g8wcUouTUjr70YbwdXyWwkJBa4g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiq-aSZqvfdAhWR3KQKHa8ICW4Q6AEwCHoECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=hamraborg%20elves&f=false
http://totaliceland.com/why-the-area-around-kopavogur-church-in-iceland-is-untouched/
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/huldufolk-supernatural-creatures-hiding-iceland-005870
At the end of the road is an interesting church called Kópavogskirkja (Church of Kópavogur). Sitting atop Borgarholt hill, which is known to be one of the most populated elf colonies in Iceland. The unusual church structure opened in 1963 overlooking both Reykjavík and Kópavogur.
One night I'd been out in downtown Reykjavík with some friends and I missed the last bus home so I had to take a taxi. The driver was very chatty and was giving me interesting facts about everywhere that we passed (as so many taxi drivers in Reyjavík do - it's a great way to take a tour of the city!). As we got closer to Hamraborg he shuddered as we approached the church.
"You live here...?" he asked slowly. "Do you know about the church?"
I shook my head, a little taken aback and slightly freaked out.
"My grandmother told me that when the church was being built, the elves tried to stop it."
I listened in awe as he told me the story of how the giant drills used to dig the foundations stopped working as soon as they touched the ground on the hill. The contruction workers were baffled as this had never happened before but they assumed that the drill was faulty. They ordered a new drill (at a large expense) and waited for it to be delivered. They tested the drill and it worked fine, so they went back to the hill. Again, as soon as the drill touched the ground, it stopped working. They deemed that the elves didn't want the church in that location so they moved it a few metres away from the original location. The drill worked finally and the church continued to be built with no more problems.
The landscape surrounding the church has been untouched and is very beautiful. Apparently this is so the elves can be left at peace...people don't want anymore trouble from them!
Not far from the church is the road Álfhólsvegur (elf hill road) where another story of the hidden people takes place. Álfhóltsvegur was meant to be the main street in Kópavogur, but when it was constructed the road workers ran into some problems. Near a large boulder, the machinery stopped working. The boulder was discovered to be an elf church. The workers brought in a 'seer' who could communicate with the elves and they all reached an agreement. The elf church had to be relocated to a new site before the work could continue, which it was.
Have you had any experiences with the hidden people of Iceland?
Loppy x
Sources:
https://visitreykjavik.is/kopavogskirkja-church
https://books.google.is/books?id=j-NMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=hamraborg+elves&source=bl&ots=WkRCSu1fp9&sig=g8wcUouTUjr70YbwdXyWwkJBa4g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiq-aSZqvfdAhWR3KQKHa8ICW4Q6AEwCHoECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=hamraborg%20elves&f=false
http://totaliceland.com/why-the-area-around-kopavogur-church-in-iceland-is-untouched/
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/huldufolk-supernatural-creatures-hiding-iceland-005870
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