LOCATION: Viðey Island, Kollafjörður Bay, Reykjavík, Iceland
The island of Viðey in Kollafjörður Bay, just outside Reykjavík Harbour is a historic place. Archaeological investigations on the island in recent years have revealed evidence of settlement as early as the 10th century. The ‘father of Reykjavík’ Skúli Magnússon built the mansion and the church on the island in the late 18th century.
The Icelandic Government presented the City of Reykjavík with Viðey on the city’s 200th Anniversary on August 18th, 1986.
Where to come
When to come
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is lit on the following dates:
| 09 Oct – 08 Dec 21 Dec – 28 Dec 31 Dec 18 Feb 21 Mar – 28 Mar |
John’s birthday to death day Winter equinox New Year’s Eve Yoko’s birthday Spring equinox (J&Y’s Honeymoon) |
It is lit from 2 hours after sunset until midnight on each of these nights, and until dawn on New Year’s Day.
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER relights October 9th 2012
IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will be relit during a peaceful ceremony on Tuesday 9th October, John Lennon’s birthday.
Like previous years, Yoko Ono invites all to attend the ceremony, providing free boats to Viðey Island. The program starts at 19:00 by Viðeyjarnaust and the evening will be memorable, serene and beautiful. Musicians Ragnheiður Gröndal and Guðmundur Pétursson will play ambient music and the choir Hljómeyki will sing for guests next to the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER. Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree will be placed in Viðeyjarnaust and Viðeyjarstofa where guests of all ages can leave a wish. Light refreshments and warm drinks are available both in Viðeyjarstofa and Viðeyjarnaust.
The free ferry boat runs from 18:00 to 19:30 and the city of Reykjavík offers free public transport from Hlemmur bus station to/from Skarfabakki where the ferry departs. The first bus goes at 18:40 from Hlemmur and after that every 20 minutes until 19:40. After the ceremony the first ferry departs from Viðey at 21:00 and the buses will run in tandem every 20 minutes.
From 10th October, IMAGINE PEACE TOWER guided tours start running every evening from Skarfabakki for approximately 1.5 – 2 hours. They unite history, art and nature in an interesting manner and give a deep insight into this magnificent work of art. The price for the IMAGINE PEACE Tour is 5.000 ISK per person and pick up from hotels and guesthouses in Reykjavík area is complimentary, and occurs 45 mins before the ferry departs.
Ferry times are 8pm (Oct 9-Dec 8) , 6pm (21,22,27 Dec) and 8pm (20-26 March).
For bookings call +354 555 3565 no later than 16:00 the same day.
Our winter schedule offers trips to Viðey on Saturdays and Sundays.
Viðey House Café is open according to the schedule for our guests to enjoy lovely refreshments after walking around the island.
Walking paths in Viðey are easy for all and hikers have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful view over Reykjavik City and surroundings. On the eastern part of the island the history of the village and the fishing company placed there a century ago is made accessable and alive with information posters.Two magnificent works of art can be found on the west part of the island; Richard Serra´s Afangar and Yoko Ono´s IMAGINE PEACE TOWER.
For more information, go to the Elding website.
How to get to Viðey by ferry
Access to Viðey is by ferry from Skarfabakki harbour in Reykjavík.
Winter schedule 2012-2013
Weekend scheduled ferry from Skarfabakki pier in Sundahöfn harbour from September 1st to May 14th 2011:
From Skarfabakki pier to Viðey (Saturdays and Sundays):
13:15 – 14:15 – 15:15
From Viðey to Skarfabakki pier:
13:30 – 14:30 – 15:30 – 16:30
Imagine Peace Tour 2012-2013
Daily departures at 20:00 from 9 October to 8 December
Extra departures:
20 to 26 March at 20:00
Summer schedule 2013
Schedule from Reykjavik Sundahofn harbour (from May 15th until September 14th).
To Videy from Skarfabakki – Sundahofn harbour:
11:15 – 12:15 – 13:15 – 14:15 – 15:15 – 16:15 – 17:15
Duration of the sailing: 5 minutes
To Videy from Reykjavik Old harbour:
12:00
Duration of the sailing: 20 minutes
From Videy to Skarfabakki – Sundahofn harbour:
11:30 – 12:30 – 13:30 – 14:30 – 15:30 – 16:30 – 17:30 – 18:30
Later departures can be arranged for groups.
From Videy to Reykjavik Old harbour:
15:30
Bus No. 5 stops 300 meters from the harbor in Sundahöfn.
Our charming café is open on weekends according to the ferry scedule.
We offer various delights, where Icelandic traditions and fresh products from the island are served.
Viðeyjarstofa Restaurant
We are proud to announce that Hotel Holt is now operating the café, the restaurant and the catering service in Viðeyjarstofa Restaurant. The Gallery Restaurant of Hotel Holt has been the benchmark for Icelandic culinary excellence ever since it was opened 1965. The Café is open when the ferry is sailing and can be booked for groups at any time.
Viðeyjarstofa Café Menu
• Island bread roll with chicken salad, carrots, cumin & cucumber sauce 1350 ISK
• Herb rich Icelandic meat soup and toasted viking bread 2300 ISK
• Onion soup served in bread 1450 ISK
• Hot dog – the Icelandic way 350 ISK
• Beef sandwich with fried potatoe and sauce Bernaise 2450 ISK
• Grilled sandwich with ham and cheese 650 ISK
• Waffle with homemade strawberry jam and cream with hot chocolate 1200 ISK
• Icelandic pastry specialities 200 ISK
• Icelandic chocolate cake 300 ISK
Contact us at elding@elding.is for further information.
On the map of the Earth planet, Iceland is a country situated in the northern
most part of our world. It is an ideal location from which to cover the Earth
with enlightenment and love.
Iceland is a magical and beautiful country. The electrical energy source for the
country and for the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER is geothermal – water, instead
of oil. No pollution. No war. This is just one of the incredible situations that
creates the magic of Iceland.
Right now, light is what the world so desperately needs, since, in varying
degrees, we all live in darkness of fear and confusion of the polluted world.
This column of light in Iceland will not be extinguished. It is the eternal flame
we send out to the world and the universe to give light and warmth, and the hope
and conviction that our dreams can come true.
I hope the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER will give light to the strong wishes of
World Peace from all corners of the planet and give encouragement, inspiration
and a sense of solidarity in a world now filled with fear and confusion.
Let us come together to realize a peaceful world.
I dedicate this tower to John Lennon.
my love for you is forever.
Yoko Ono
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Peace on earth and love in your heart.
Live it and make the dream reality.
What a beautiful and tranquil place-very suitable location for the Imagine Peace Tower.I wish that I could go there some day.
I now know what Heaven looks like.
I think it so ironic that honoring John Lennon and peace would entail a menu that consisted of slaughtered animals. In John’s name, and in the name of peace, love, and the freedom to live, let’s hope the cafe here changes to a vegetarian menu.
find me a country that doesn’t kill animals.
your a fool.
Yoko and John,
Thank you for all you give us!!!
This is where I want to go when I’m old enough and have enough money to travel. If I only visit one country outside of the US in my entire life, it will be Iceland, /just/ for the Imagine Peace Tower.
John and Yoko, GREAT ! WONDERFULL ! JESUS ALWAYS BLESSED YOUR PEACE WORK AND LOVE TO A BETTER WORLD ! CONGRATOLLATIONS FROM, LAVRAS, MG, BRAZIL.
I knew John Lennon’s Aunt Mimi Smith in Sandbanks many years ago in the first half of the 1970′s .
My thoughts are also with her as I write as well as with John and Yoko.
Wow! It seems to be the last safest & perfect place in the whole world… ! Thank you for sharing, I’d love to visit it.
Hi you Viking Warriors!!I wear a T-Shirt with an Icelandic flag on the front,unsurprisingly I get abuse from so called British poiatrts,moaning about money owed to Britain by Iceland.Of course I soon put them in their place by explaining that it is private banks that owe the money and not Iceland the Country.Nice to see you have started to reimburse GB and the Dutch.In saying that,I hope Iceland does not become too apologetic with these two leaders in the Great Global Banking conspiracy against the Sovereign Nation! ICELAND BEING ONE(past!! PRESENT? FUTURE???)Remain vigilant.
DEC 8 1980
There will never be a Number 9
we limit ourselves to eight
down in darkness where we wait
the octave of the night
was filled with shadows
as he was returning
he could feel the earth
turning turning
closer and closer into the 9th
he knew
that humans are musical animals
2 lips to sing
two lips to rhyme
2 ears to listen
and measure the time
2 arms 2 feet
to move to the beat
2 eyes to search
for light from the sun
two hands that held a meaningless gun
dark velvet hands
moving over bright blue steel
eclipsing the brilliance.
For one sparkling moment
we rose in peace on his shoulders
soaring above the dark illusion
delusion collusion institute-tusion
gazing our last strawberry gaze
as children
paying our penny
to look up
and peek
through gods good windows
across the lanes of light
beyond the fields of time
where the flowers of our best
forever
if the circling of the mind could turn to love
more quickly than it turns to homicide
turning in the library turning in the kitchen
outside the motel and the dark dakota
death was turning on the snowy sidewalk
the warm weapon
drawn from the twisted folds of a wounded mind
dropping into a combat stance
the bullets were driven into his body
nails of lead
one for the gun so happy and warm
two for the child inside the man
three for the blackbirds left in the night
four for the world
slowly turning
and five for the Moon
and other lost sounds
six for the hollow point 38 rounds
lights flashing red
exploding around Manhattan
with only one voice singing
imagine imagine imagine
look round around round
and
one two three four five six seven
one good child goes to heaven
on the eighth day
as he was returning
as he was returning home
a lonely planet nearly turned into the 9th
dancing dawn of morning light
but we were turned and twisted back
in a squad car painted black
turned away from dancing light
driven back to death’s dark night.
but we can listen
as we turn and go
as we turn away into the snow
listen to the starry light
across the blackness of the night
songs of light with sparkleshine
calling through the darks of time
he sings to us
from Number 9