A harbour artwork shaped like a grassy hill

Icelandic artist Ólöf Nordal designed Þúfa as a man-made mound where the city meets the working harbour.

The Icelandic word þúfa means a tussock or small hummock. Here that modest landform is enlarged into an eight-meter-high public artwork on reclaimed harbour land. A path coils around the grass-covered slope instead of climbing straight to the top.

A wooden fish-drying shed stands at the summit. It connects the quiet, almost rural-looking mound with Grandi's history as a fishing and fish-processing district. HB Grandi commissioned the work in 2013.

Artwork and artist

Photo guide

Þúfa in photos

Þúfa in summer light by Reykjavík harbour.

Þúfa's green mound rising above Reykjavík harbour with mountains behind it

Þúfa in summer light by Reykjavík harbour.

The short climb changes the view

Walking the spiral path gradually raises the harbour, skyline and mountains into view.

The climb is short, and a focused visit usually takes about 20-30 minutes. At the top, the view reaches across the Old Harbour toward Harpa and central Reykjavík, with Mount Esja beyond the water in clear weather. The mound also reads differently from each side as you circle it.

Þúfa is more rewarding as a small work encountered slowly than as a checklist sight. Its scale, the smell and activity of the harbour, and the traditional shed matter as much as the panorama.

Harbour context

Best as part of a Grandi walk

The artwork sits at the outer edge of Grandi, so the walk through the district is part of the visit.

Pair it with Grandi when you want the wider district, or continue toward Reykjavík Harbour and Harpa. These are natural continuations along the waterfront, not reasons to turn a brief artwork into a full itinerary.

The wider harbour setting is part of how the artwork is meant to be seen.
Þúfa across Reykjavík harbour with the city and mountains behind it

The wider harbour setting is part of how the artwork is meant to be seen.

An exposed and uneven outdoor stop

There is no indoor visitor space at Þúfa, and the mound should not be mistaken for a fully accessible city viewpoint.

The approach is straightforward, but the spiral path slopes around the mound and can be wet, muddy or icy. Strong harbour wind can make the top uncomfortable. People who need a level route can still see the work from below, though that misses the summit view.

Choose a clear-enough spell if the view matters, wear shoes suited to the surface, and turn back if wind or ice makes the climb insecure.

By ThorPublished Updated