{"id":54738,"date":"2024-02-04T22:43:39","date_gmt":"2024-02-04T21:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=54738"},"modified":"2025-02-04T00:35:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T23:35:53","slug":"exploring-one-of-the-torfbaeir-the-turf-houses-of-iceland-abandoned-since-1986","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2024\/02\/04\/exploring-one-of-the-torfbaeir-the-turf-houses-of-iceland-abandoned-since-1986\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring one of the torfb\u00e6ir, the turf houses of Iceland, abandoned since 1986"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many countries in the world have their own traditional architecture, adapted to their conditions and the resources available to them.<\/p>\n

The incredible lighthouse of Thridrangar: a place not suitable for people with vertigo or claustrophobia<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe DC-3 of S\u00f3lheimasandur: a plane crash turned into a tourist destination<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

Iceland is a very cold country.<\/strong> Initially populated by the Normans (also known as Vikings), their first buildings were communal homes. At the end of the 18th century, construction began on a type of housing that took advantage of an abundant resource in the country, grass, and its particular orography: the torfb\u00e6r (plural torfb\u00e6ir)<\/strong>. It was a very common type of construction in Iceland until well into the 20th century. Today these houses are disappearing little by little.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
A typical Icelandic torfb\u00e6r (Photo: Lydur Skulason<\/a>).<\/div>\n

A torfb\u00e6r (also known as torfkofa, grass hut) is built with wood and uses grass as insulation in its roof<\/strong>, using the terrain to integrate into it. Its appearance will be very familiar to fans of the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, since it is very reminiscent of hobbit houses<\/strong>. This curious architectural style was not only used to build homes, but also churches.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
A prayer house in N\u00fapssta\u00f0ur, following the torfb\u00e6ir style (Photo: J\u00f3na \u00de\u00f3runn<\/a>).<\/div>\n

The drawback that torfb\u00e6ir have is their relative isolation<\/strong>, in many cases. In addition, they were houses that required constant maintenance, since the wind of Iceland usually caused damage to the grass on the roof<\/strong>, in addition to replacing the rotted wood.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
A farm built in the torfb\u00e6ir architectural style (Photo: Trey Ratcliff<\/a>).<\/div>\n

Perhaps for these reasons, one of them was abandoned by the youngest members of the Peterson family<\/strong>, who for generations lived in that beautiful house, to go live in the city. The only one who stayed there was Jakov, the father of the family, a teacher who died in 1986.<\/strong> Since then this house has been abandoned, although in good condition. It is as if time has stopped inside. A few weeks ago, Bros Of Decay<\/a> explored this beautiful abandoned house:<\/strong><\/p>\n