separateurCreated with Sketch.

A Hobbit’s Haven: The Icelandic “Turf Churches”

whatsappfacebooktwitter-xemailnative
Daniel Esparza - published on 05/02/16
whatsappfacebooktwitter-xemailnative

In all of Iceland, only six of these temples still remain 

 

Imagine a small church, built for a small congregation, out of strictly stone and wood. Now, add a thick layer of soil, both in your walls and your roof. Now, plant some grass on it. Yes, you read that right.

Voilá! You just built yourself a nice, cozy, classic Icelandic “turf church”.

Sadly, the last time one of these churches was built in Iceland, following these traditional, original patterns, was back in the 19th century. In the whole country, only six of these still stand. Here, we offer you both a video and some pics that might encourage you to either pray or built your own turf chapel in your backyard

Newsletter
Did you enjoy this article? Would you like to read more like this?

Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. It’s free!

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.