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Experiance the best
Mykines is the only village on the island by the same name. Although there are more than 40 houses in the village there are only 11 permanent residents, and for 8 months per year their only way out is by helicopter.
With no grocery shop being on the island, the islanders also rely on the helicopter to bring provisions to last them through the long winter.
However, during the four month in summertime when the ferry sails out twice a day, Mykines turns into a vibrant village that is bursting with life. It is a popular holiday destination for travelers from the mainland, and during summertime the number of residents drastically increases.
Mortan Andressen built the church of Mykines in 1862. In 1877 the church was severely damaged due to stormy weather.
The restoration process of the church was complicated and long in coming. Nevertheless, in October 1879 the church of Mykines was finally re-inaugurated by the priest Hjort.
Since the restoration in 1879 the church has not undergone any major changes.
The memorial monument was erected in the 1930s in memory of local men fallen in the mountains of Mykines or drowned at sea.
The monument was never inaugurated in the time after it was erected due to, among other things, the Second World War.
It was finally inaugurated in 2008 after a committee of locals took the initiative to renovate the monument and had a commemorative plaque done including 37 names of fallen men of Mykines.
The monument is located near the Óli Rami viewpoint.
West of the island Mykines you will find the islet Mykineshólmur.
The eventful journey to the islet will take you through steep climbs, a walk through an area highly populated with puffins.
The islet is connected to Mykines island by a 40m long footbridge 30 meters over the Atlantic ocean. From the islet one has the most tremendous views of the ocean and other islands.
At the end of the islet lies the lighthouse, built in 1909.
A large number of puffins, gannets and other birds inhabit the islet and this is the closest you can get to the fragile and sacred wildlife and nature – an otherworldly experience.
It is also therefore very important to travel with care and caution. Furthermore, this is the reason that a certified guide is mandatory on this hike.
Due to a landslide and the risk of more landslides in the area
the path to Mykineshólm and the lighthouse is closed
until further notice.
To read more follow the link below.
In 1909, a lighthouse was built on the islet of Mykineshólm. In addition to aiding ships navigating the waters, it also became a weather station, measuring temperatures and wind speeds.
Alongside the lighthouse, a house was built for the lighthouse keeper´s. In the 1930's two more houses were built there, after which a community of up to 25 people lived on the islet, and even children were born there. During the winter, the children would be schooled at home, but during the summer they would walk to the village to go to school. The area around the houses was used to keep a milking cow and chicken.
On top of lighthouse duties, the staff would also occationally hold tasks for the University of Copenhagen, where they would observe the norhern lights.
These days, only one house remains on the islet. The lighthouse keepers.
The lighthouse is now automated, and therefore the job as lighthouse keeper in Mykineshólmur has been made redundant. But you will still see the three blinks every 20 seconds coming from the lighthouse.
Due to a landslide and the risk of more landslides in the area
the path to Mykineshólm and the lighthouse is closed
until further notice.
For birdwatchers, Mykines is a must see when visiting the
Faroe Islands. It is difficult to get closer to the birds than when walking through the large colonies of puffins on the sea-facing hillside, passing cliffs filled with kittiwakes and gannets.
To read more about Birdwatching and Puffins, follow the link below
Mykines has two dales, Borgardalur and Kálvadalur, the dales are between a steep mountains side, where the highest mountain peak is called Knúkur.
The peak is located 560 meters over the sea.
On 26th of September 1970 a plane got lost on the way to Vágar airport, and crashed into the foggy mountain Knúkur. 34 passengers were on board the aircraft when it crashed. The people in the village acted quick. Those able to run up and help did, and one by one the survivors were carried down to the village. 8 people died in the crash.
A stone monument, is located in Mykines church, commemorates the accident.
A guide is required in order to hike in the mountains of Mykines. Hiking to Knúkur is relatively easy and takes 4 hours.
According to folklore, Mykines had a forest in ancient times.
Back then the Faroe Islands belonged to Norway and so
the King of Norway claimed taxes from the people.
One of these taxes was a forest tax. In an attempt to get out of paying this tax, the people of Mykines lied to the king and told him there was no forest.
Overnight the forest turned to stone and can now be seen as 55-meter-high columns of basalt towering Korkadalur on the north side of the island.
A guide is required in order to hike in the mountains of Mykines. It is a four hour hike.
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