Tórshavn Cathedral

Havnar kirkja, the second-oldest preserved church in the Faroe Islands, plays a key role in the annual Saint Olav’s Day celebrations on July 29. Each year, government officials and priests march in a procession to the church, followed by the first annual meeting of the Løgting, Europe’s oldest parliament.

The church, painted white with a golden spire and weathercock inscribed with 1788, was consecrated that year. After major repairs in 1865, it took on its current form. In 1990, Havnar kirkja was named the Cathedral when the Faroe Islands’ diocese was re-established.

Originally built in 1609, a new version of the church was constructed in the 1780s, reflecting the style of traditional wooden churches, but on a larger scale. A blue vaulted ceiling, added during renovations, is adorned with stars, resembling the sky—a design likely inspired by Copenhagen Cathedral.

Havnar kirkja retains most of its original furnishings, although a rare 1609 pulpit was sold to Hvalvík Church. The church features three altarpieces, including a 1647 depiction of the Last Supper and an 1825 painting of Jesus’ burial by Danish artist Ditlev Conrad Blunck.

The church bell, installed in 1952, is the largest in the Faroes, with an inscription inviting all to the “hall of the Lord.” Two older bells, Bønarklokkan (1678) and Norska-Løva klokkan (1708), hold historical significance. Bønarklokkan, known as the “Poverty bell,” was used for daily prayers and funerals of the poor. Norska-Løva klokkan came from a shipwrecked vessel, with a model of the ship hanging in the church, crafted by survivors as thanks for their rescue.

Two other model ships, Peter and Johannes (1841) and a Faroese rowing boat (1964), also hang in the church.