Siglufjörður - Isolated This Winter By Seemingly Endless Snow
COMMUNITY / SIGLUFJÖRÐUR
Photographs: Björn Valdimarsson,
Sveinn H. Zophoniasson.
Writer: Vilborg Einarsdottir
March 2020
The people of Siglufjörður in North Iceland have seen a winter like no other. Well, in a historical perspective that is probably not true, as the town has been one of the country’s winter strongholds for centuries, but this year has been exceptional.
Siglufjörður, a town of close to 1200 inhabitants, often referred to as Iceland’s herring capital during its golden years last century, has in the past decade reinvented itself as a blooming, beautiful town of rapidly growing tourism, culture and arts and international innovation in terms of its biotech research and production company. More on that in a later article.
Here we are invited on a visual journey to Siglufjörður as it looks now, and has looked more or less since mid December. Over a period of 100 days from December 12th, Siglufjörður has, according to the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (IRCA) been in isolation over 46 times for a total of 918 hours due to immense amount of snow on the two roads leading to it, risk of avalanches or simply bad weather and blizzards. But despite the fact that the people of Siglufjörður are saying enough is enough - these photographs from local photographer Björn Valdimarsson only remind us of the magical beauty found in bad weather and low visibility. ▢
Siglufjörður can be accessed by two roads, on either side of the town. For 100 days, since December 12th 2019 until March 20th this year, these two roads have been closed 67 times due to heavy snow, blizzards or threats of avalanches for a total of 918 hours.
Sveinn H. Zophoniasson is the person responsible for clearing the roads to Siglufjörður for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration - and as seen here from his driver’s seat, this winter that has been no small task. JONAA©Sveinn H. Zophoniasson
Winter travellers to Siglufjörður have been offered one incredible winter experience like these two outside the town’s hotel. JONAA©Björn Valdimarsson
JONAA©Björn Valdimarsson
Walls, doors and windows draped in snow. JONAA©Björn Valdimarsson
This is pretty much how the town has looked this winter. JONAA©Björn Valdimarsson
JONAA©Björn Valdimarsson
Siglufjörður in mid March 2020. JONAA©Björn Valdimarsson
Björn Valdimarsson is a photographer living in the remote fishing town Siglufjörður in north Iceland. For years Björn has documented the community, people, daily life and ways of living in his town and the in nearby Olafsfjordur and Fljot. This remarkable documentation can be browsed in difference collections here on his website. Björn is a regular contributor to JONAA.
