Sandur (Faroe Islands)

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Sumba (Färöer) Vágur Porkeri Hov (Färöer) Fámjin Tvøroyri Hvalba Skúvoy Hvalba Húsavík (Färöer) Skálavík Sandur (Färöer) Skopun Tórshavn Sørvágur Vágar Vestmanna Kvívík Sunda kommuna Eiði Runavík Runavík Runavík Nes (Eysturoy) Sjóvar kommuna Eysturkommuna Klaksvík Húsar Fuglafjørður Kunoy Klaksvík Hvannasund Viðareiði FugloyThe sands communa
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Basic data
Surface: 48 km²
Population (2007): 586
Population density : 12 inhabitants / km²
Markatal : 97
Topographic map
Environment map

Sandur ( Danish : sand = sandy beach ) is a place in the Faroe Islands in the west of Sandoy on the south coast. The 11th century coin find of Sandur points to an ancient history of the place.

The municipality of Sandur consists of this one place. Sandur is the most populous place on the sand island . Sandur is located on a peninsula between the lakes Gróthúsvatn in the northwest and Sandsvatn in the northeast and the two opposite bays Grótvík and Sandsvágur in the south.

1100 years of history

The church of Sandur stands on historical ground and can look back on at least 1000 years of church history.

Sandur is an old thing site, where the local várting was held every year . According to the latest results of archeology (summer 2006) the place was already settled by Vikings around 900.

Earlier excavations have unearthed an 11th century stave church on this site . The sacred building from 1839, a typical Faroese wooden church with a grass roof, is located in the same place . In 1988 she was the victim of a devastating fire that melted all the church silver. It turned out to be arson . But it was restored the following year, just in time for the 150th anniversary. See main article: Church of Sandur

In 1863, when the churchyard was being expanded, a silver treasure was found consisting of 98 coins from the 11th century, half of which were of German origin, see: Coin find from Sandur .

In 1989 archaeologists also discovered a pagan burial site from the Viking Age on the Faroe Islands . The skeleton of the early Faroese woman in the 150 cm long grave was well preserved. Three amber beads , a blue glass bead and a knife were found on her.

Sands Bygdasavn (Sandur Village Museum): Traditional wooden houses with a grass roof

In the open-air museum of the Danish National Museum near Copenhagen you can see a water mill that was originally built in Sandur in the 18th century.

Sands Bygdasavn is the name of the village museum where objects from the everyday life of the ancestors are shown. It is open in the summer months.

In the meantime (2006) the place has its own art museum and, thanks to a local patron, soon also its own library.

Transport and tourism

Harbor scene in Sandur. The ferry M / S Sildberin to the island of Skúvoy in the south .

The journey from Tórshavn leads via the ferry ports Gamlarætt and Skopun . From there on road 30 along Sandsvatn to Sandur.

Sandsvágur Bay with the sandy beach that gave the place its name. It is the only Faroese beach with dunes and beach grass .

The Munkinum campsite is the only one on Sandoy. This is why Sandur is the preferred location for many visitors when they are on the island. There are also the fishing grounds of Sandsvatn and Gróthúsvatn.

All places on the island can be reached from Sandur by bus and are therefore suitable for day trips. Due to the favorable topography of the island, the hiking tours are also suitable for normal walkers and cyclists. Particularly recommended are the detours to the west coast to Søltuvík , to Skarvanes in the south (there are more challenging hiking opportunities) and Húsavík on the east coast.

The small passenger ferry M / S Sildberin runs from Sandur to the island of Skúvoy to the south . A special attraction is the tour in the Faroese rowing boat Hvíthamar from Sandur to the bird mountains on the west coast or to Skúvoy. The boat builder Jóan Petur Clementsen rows himself.

Web links

Commons : Sandur (Faroe Islands)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 61 ° 51 ′  N , 6 ° 48 ′  W