Hruni Church (Hrunakirkja)

Hruni Church (Hrunakirkja) is a protected timber church built in 1865 at Hruni, an old church estate about 5 km east of Flúðir in Hrunamannahreppur, South Iceland. It stands just off the Golden Circle, a short drive from the Secret Lagoon, and it is one of the best-known country churches in Iceland. That fame comes less from the building than from a legend about an earlier church on the site, swallowed into the ground during a Christmas Eve dance.

History of Hruni Church

Hruni has been a church site for centuries. Before the Reformation its Catholic churches were dedicated in turn to the Virgin Mary, Archbishop Thomas, Saint Þorlákur and Saint Catherine. According to local tradition, those earlier churches stood on top of a rocky mound near the farm.

The estate produced its share of learned clergy. The priest and scholar Árni Halldórsson lived at Hruni in the 17th century (1630–87). Today the farm and the church still sit together in a small cluster above the fields.

The church building

The present church was designed by Sigfús Guðmundsson, a master builder from Skúmsstaðir in Eyrarbakka, and completed in 1865. According to the Church of Iceland's record, it is a timber church clad in corrugated iron and set on a concrete base, with a pitched roof. A square tower rises from the west gable on a low plinth and carries a tall pyramid-shaped spire.

Each side of the nave has five windows, with two more on the front gable above the door. The windows have a T-shaped frame and arched glazing bars at the top, and the entrance has panelled double doors under an arched transom window. It seats 120 people and is a listed, protected building.

Inside Hrunakirkja

The altarpiece dates from 1855 and shows the Last Supper, painted by Claus Christian Tilly. The church owns a silver chalice and paten from 1873, a larger chalice from the early 20th century and a communion chalice made by Jón Bernharðsson of Skógsnes (1822–1877). The wooden font is as old as the building. Its two bells were cast in 1929 and 1947.

The legend of the dance at Hruni

The story that made Hruni famous is the tale of the dance at Hruni (Dansinn í Hruna). A priest who served at Hruni began holding parties in the church on Christmas Eve, and every year the congregation drank, danced and played cards through the night instead of keeping the holy evening. In one version, the priest's mother warned him to stop, and he ignored her.

On one Christmas Eve the devil himself turned up at the dance. He dragged the church, the priest and the whole congregation down into the ground, and the church was later rebuilt on a new site. It became one of Iceland's best-known folk tales and was later turned into a stage play.

Standing on the quiet hill today, it is hard to picture. The farm is peaceful, the churchyard is tidy, and the main sound is usually the wind.

How to get to Hruni Church

Hruni is about 5 km east of Flúðir by road, a drive of around seven minutes. From Reykjavík it is roughly 107 km, about an hour and 40 minutes, via Route 1 over Hellisheiði and then Route 30 to Flúðir. From Geysir allow about half an hour (28 km), and from Gullfoss about the same (31 km).

There is no practical public transport to Hruni, so you need a car. Our Secret Lagoon day from Reykjavík finishes with a soak in Flúðir, 5 km away. It does not stop at Hruni, but it gives you a sense of this corner of the Golden Circle if you are not driving.

Visiting Hruni Church

Treat Hruni as a short, quiet stop rather than a big attraction. The church, the churchyard and the view are the point. There is no visitor centre or ticket office, and no official source gives opening hours for the interior, so do not count on getting inside outside services.

The church sits beside a working farm, so park considerately, keep gates closed and keep dogs on a lead. Remember that the churchyard is a graveyard as well as a viewpoint.

Hrunalaug hot spring

A short distance from the church is Hrunalaug, a small natural hot spring on private land. It is very small, so check its current access rules and any fee before you go, and leave no trace.

Best time to visit Hruni Church

Hruni works in any season. In summer the fields around the hill are green and the light lasts late, which suits photography of the church against the farmland. When the church is floodlit on a winter evening, its white walls against a black sky look like a Christmas card, legend notwithstanding.

How long to spend at Hruni Church

Fifteen to 30 minutes is enough for the church, the churchyard and a look at the view. Add an hour or more if you plan to bathe at Hrunalaug. Hruni also pairs naturally with a soak at the Secret Lagoon hot pool in Flúðir.

Things to do near Hruni Church

The village of Flúðir is the natural partner. Our guide to Flúðir village covers its greenhouses, the Miðfell walk and where to eat. The Secret Lagoon, Iceland's oldest swimming pool, is about 5.5 km from Hruni.

For lunch, Iceland's only mushroom farm is on the edge of Flúðir. Its Farmers Bistro serves a mushroom soup buffet daily from 12:00 to 17:00, which fits neatly around a stop at Hruni.

If church history interests you, Skálholt is about 25 km west. It was the bishop's seat of South Iceland for centuries. Read about Skálholt Cathedral and its history before you go.

Photo: Jon Gretarsson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons