In the southern Atlantic Ocean of Iceland, there are several small islands, most of which are uninhabited, but one of them is very striking. In the 21st century, the island known as "Elliðaey" became famous for having a secluded house on the island.
Elliðaey, part of vestmannaejar, is the farthest island in the northeast of the archipelago with an area of 0.46 km² and is uninhabited. The only building on the island is a hunting log cabin, the "loneliest house in the world.".
The history behind the house
The Iceland Adventure Guide tells a story about the island of Edelizá that dates back hundreds of years:
"Although in the past the island was full of fishing camps, by 1702 there was only one fishing ground left on the island and three farms were established with a capacity of 17 people. There are about 258 sheep, and sometimes even cows grazing there.
In the early 19th century, the island was inhabited by only 4 people, but by 1845 this number had grown to 15 people. By 1920, the number of inhabitants had fallen to 5.
Between 1914 and 1929, Olafur Jonsson and his family became the first fox keepers on the island. ”
The "lonely house" we see now was built in the 1930s by five families who once lived on the island and made a living by hunting and fishing. We know very little about the families who lived there in the 20th century, but it's safe to say that they didn't like to socialize with outsiders.
By 1960, the island of Edeliza was completely abandoned.
The Westmanna Archipelago has 18 such islands, of which only 3 are densely populated, so they are very popular. The islands have long been considered beautiful in Iceland, but because they are empty, with little vegetation and no other interesting natural architecture, only fishermen saw them until the 1970s, but they didn't waste time exploring them.
The entire island is about 110 acres (0.46 km2) and is home to a Nordic bird called puffin, which is a fairly tasty food. That's why in the 1990s, the empty house was reused by local puffin hunters, who stayed there for a few days until the hunt was over, so the house was turned into a hunting lodge.
Rumors of the house: the island of Björk
There are many different misconceptions and stories about this remote house and the island where it is located, from its haunting to the fact that a billionaire built a "house" on the island to escape zombies, the most widely spread misconception is that the house belongs to Björk, a famous Icelandic singer. For years, the musician has been rumored to live in the "loneliest house in the world" on the island of Edeliza. In fact, a Google search for "Bjork's island" does show the same island picture results.
Icelandic singer Björk
This misunderstanding actually began in 2000, when Icelandic Prime Minister David Oddsson mentioned in a public speech that he would allow Björk to live on the island for free. At the time, the Miami Herald and other newspapers reported that Björk "was granted exclusive access to an uninhabited island in western Iceland because she had done so much for the country." Prime Minister David Oderson made the announcement, with rumors that the superstar wanted to buy Elidai Outright. ”
In fact, Bjork did not live on the island of Edeliza or the so-called "loneliest house in the world", nor did he live in the Westmanna Islands. The famous singer never bought the island, nor did she buy a house on it, and she had never even been to the island. In 2000, Björk acquired ownership of Breiðafjörður, another island in western Iceland, but she eventually rejected the offer for fear that it would become a tourist attraction.
The actual owner of the "Loneliest House in the World" is the Edeliza Island Hunting Association.
The current situation of the cottage
In 2017, Bjarni Sigurdsson's YouTube channel posted a video documenting his entire journey to Edeliza Island, even showing parts of the rugged uphill road from the boat to the island. The video shows that the cottage has two floors and has beds, sofas, framed photos, tables and chairs, as well as a stove, grill, fridge, radio, candles and telescopes.
The house has no electricity or running water, however, it has a complex system of collecting rainwater that can be used for drinking or washing. The house, although in disrepair, is in excellent condition.
Hunters and fishermen, anyone can go and visit the island or even live there for free for several days, the only thing you need is a boat to get there and then follow some rules.
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