Hövdi House

Hövdi's house is an old mansion in the north of the capital of Iceland. It was built in 1909 and was originally used as the residence of the French consul. The famous poet Einar Benedichtsson lived and worked in Hövdi for a long time, but the house gained fame after the “Icelandic Summit”, which took place in this house in 1986, where Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan participated.

Historical notes

It should be noted that the Hövdi House was erected without any notification to the authorities. In appearance, this is an ordinary living space, but it attracts tourists with an amazing force. In fact, it is difficult to find a reason why a crowd of curious visitors gathers around the Hövdi House. However, it is known from historical reports that it was in this house that certain agreements were reached on paper, indicating the end of the Cold War. In society they say that within the walls of the Hövdi House lives a charming ghost called the White Lady. There is another explanation for the popularity of the attraction. Once upon a time, the famous Icelandic poet Einar Benediktsson lived in this house for 4 years. When he saw the ghost, he immediately left the building.

Features of Hövdi House

Translated from Icelandic, the word "Hövdi" is translated as cape. Hövdi's house is located on the Reykjavik waterfront. The meaning of the name is directly related to the location of the house; it really is located on a giant cape. If we evaluate the house purely visually, then in terms of architectural execution, it looks a little rough and strict. The wooden building was built in Norway, after which it was dismantled. And what was left of it was brought to Reykjavik.

The fate of the House of Hövdi is very interesting. It was owned by various people and received famous guests, including Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth, and the English Ambassador John Greenway, who was the last guest of the villa. Today, the Hövdi House hosts important events both for the whole country and for ordinary residents. Near the house there is a copper statue called Ondvegissulur. It was erected in 1971 by Sigurjon Olafson and consists of 2 pillars that were thrown from the ship by the famous Ingolfur Arnason, the first permanent settler of Iceland.