The Sun Voyager is Reykjavik's most photographed sculpture — a stainless steel representation of a Viking longship by Jón Gunnar Árnason, installed on the harbour front in 1990. The sculpture faces north across Faxaflói Bay toward the mountains of the Esja range, and the combination of steel, water, and the Icelandic light (which at northern latitudes has a quality of clarity and colour that lower latitudes can't produce) makes the Sun Voyager one of the most photogenic public artworks in any Nordic city.
The sculpture is not a Viking ship — Árnason described it as 'a dream boat, an ode to the sun, symbolising the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress, and freedom.' The abstract form suggests a vessel without specifying one, which makes it simultaneously a reference to Iceland's seafaring history and a universal symbol of exploration. The sculpture sits on the Sæbraut waterfront promenade, and the sunset behind the Esja mountains with the Sun Voyager in silhouette is the most popular photograph taken in Reykjavik.
Verified Facts
Sun Voyager was created by Jón Gunnar Árnason and installed in 1990
The sculpture is made of stainless steel
Árnason described it as 'a dream boat, an ode to the sun'
The sculpture faces north toward Mount Esja
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101 Sæbraut, Lækir, Reykjavík, 105, Iceland
