Sun Voyager - The Solfar Sculpture
The Sun Voyager, known in Icelandic as Sólfar, is a polished steel sculpture on the Reykjavik waterfront that has become one of the most recognisable images of Iceland. Often mistaken for a Viking ship, it was actually described by its creator as a dreamboat, representing the promise of undiscovered territory and the freedom to explore.
Reykjavik's Iconic Waterfront Sculpture and What It Actually Means
The Sun Voyager was created by Icelandic sculptor Jón Gunnar Árnason and unveiled in August 1990, as part of Reykjavik's 200th anniversary celebrations. Árnason won a public sculpture competition with the design, which he described as an ode to the sun: a vessel of hope, progress, and freedom rather than a literal reference to Iceland's seafaring past. Tragically, he passed away in 1989 before the sculpture was completed and never saw it installed. The finished piece, made from stainless steel, stands on a small headland along Sæbraut that the artist jokingly referred to as Jónsnes, facing out across Faxaflói Bay toward Mount Esja.
The sculpture's appeal changes with the light, which is part of what makes it so endlessly photographed. On a clear evening the polished steel catches the sunset and the whole piece seems to glow. In winter there is a real chance of seeing the northern lights arc over the bay behind it. In summer the midnight sun means you can visit at any hour and still find extraordinary light. The views across the water to Mount Esja are worth the walk regardless of the time of day or year.
The Sun Voyager sits on the Sæbraut coastal road, roughly a 15-minute walk east from Harpa Concert Hall along the waterfront promenade. It is free to visit, accessible around the clock, and requires no planning. It is a natural stop on any walk between the Old Harbour and the eastern part of the city centre, and one of those rare landmarks that genuinely lives up to its reputation.
