Sandvík

Sandvík
Sandvík
Village
State	Kingdom of Denmark
Constituent country	Faroe Islands
Municipality	Hvalbiar
Population (January 2010)
• Total	97
ZIP code	FO 860

Sandvík (pronounced [ˈsanvʊik], Faroese: Sandy Bay) is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík (Bay of Whales) until 1913. Because there was another village in Streymoy with the same name there was too much confusion, that is why they changed the name to Sandvík, which was the original name back in the Viking Age.

History

Sandvík is the place where Viking chief Sigmundur Brestisson was murdered after his long swim from Skúvoy in an attempt to flee from Tróndur í Gøtu. When Sigmundur came ashore exhausted to what he thought would be safety, Torgrímur the Evil fell upon him as he lay helpless on the sand and killed him for the golden bracelet he wore on his arm.

In 1349 the village became deserted, the inhabitants having been wiped out by the Black Death. It would not be until 1816 that the village was once more inhabited.

The church in Sandvík was built Á Bø in Froðba in 1840. Later, in 1856, it was moved to Tvøroyri, because more people lived there than in Froðba. And finally in 1908 it was moved to Sandvík, after Tvøroyri got a new and larger church.^[1]

Overview

The Road Tunnel from 1969

File:Young seal at beach in the faroe islands (exploring world).JPG

A seal at Sandvík

Sandvík is connected to the road system of the island through a 1500-metre tunnel, which was bored through the mountains in 1969.^[2] The tunnel has only one lane and meeting areas where cars can go aside in order to let other cars pass by. The tunnel is located up in the mountain on the southern arm, on the opposite side of the village, which is located on the northern arm of the bay.

Húsið uttan Ánna - A Historical Home and Museum

There is a small museum called "Húsið uttan Ánna" (The House by the River) in the centre of the village. It is located in a traditional Faroese house dating from 1866. The house has turf roof.^[3]

Ásmundarstakkur - A Sea Stack West of Sandvík

A narrow road leads from Sandvík to the west coast where many sea birds nest in the cliffs. Ásmundarstakkur is a 97-metre high detached sea stack which is home to puffins and other sea birds.

Gallery

Sandvík seen from the mountain north of the village.
Boat houses in the harbour of Sandvík.
Memorial in memory of Sigmundur Brestisson, made by sculptor Hans Pauli Olsen in 2006.
Memorial in memory of Sigmundur Brestisson, made by sculptor Hans Pauli Olsen in 2006.
Memorial in memory of the writer Martin Joensen who was born in Sandvík in 1902.
The church of Sandvík.
Húsið uttan Ánna, a historical home, museum.
Inside Húsið uttan Ánna, museum.
Ásmundarstakkur, a sea stack west of Sandvík.
Sandvík with Lítla Dímun in the back ground.