Norðskáli (Settlement) – Trap The Faroe Islands

© Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur

Norðskáli is located on Eysturoy’s west coast north of the Streymin Bridge. The bridge was built across the Sundini sound to Streymoy in 1973. OLAVUR FREDERIKSEN, 2020

Norðskáli has 323 inhabitants and covers 4 merkur, of which 8 gyllin are copyhold land, which is held by a single copyhold tenant, and 3 merkur and 8 are freehold land. The village was first mentioned in 1584. The sheep herd consists of 320 animals.

For centuries, there has been an mussel bed in the sound off Norðskáli. It was not only important as a food source locally, but also as a source of income, as the mussels were sailed to Tórshavn to be sold.

The bridge across the sound and Norðskáli’s central location together with Oyrarbakki have meant that the village has developed as a trade centre with several businesses and new settlements.

The church is from 1931 and is built in plastered concrete with a red-painted asbestos roof according to drawings by H.C.W. Tórgarð. It was extended and had extensions made on each side in 1977. The first school was built in 1898, but today the children go to the mixed school in Oyrarbakki.

Further reading