The Faroe Islands have just over 50 thousand inhabitants. To combat their distance from the world, they built 17 tunnels on land and 17 submarines. These are great works of engineering, and the “Eiffel Tower” of the Nordic country — a true work of art.
The Faroe Islands are an autonomous archipelago that belongs to the kingdom of Denmark. They have a wild and unpredictable weather — strong winds and rain and thick fog that settles like a curtain — can sometimes make traveling by car or ferry problematictells .
It has incredible volcanoes, breathtaking landscapes and, in 2023, only around 53 thousand inhabitants. Despite the country located in the middle of the Atlantic Oceanwith nothing surrounding you, between Iceland, Norway and Scotland, this does not mean complete isolation.
“Although we are 18 islands, we often joke that, because of the tunnels, we challenge the fact that we are islands“, it says Susanna Sørensenmarketing director at Visit Faroe Islands.
The islands have built 17 land and four underwater tunnels, including the only underwater tunnel in the world with an underwater roundabout. Nicknamed “medusa”, this roundabout has become a tourist attraction — for those who are not claustrophobic, at least. It is decorated, as well as parts of the tunnels, with images and lights.
“They are our Eiffel Tower or Big Ben”, he says Tea tour SamuelsenExecutive Director of Eystur-og Sandoyartunlar, the company that operates the tunnels, “with people, especially tourists, crossing them just to see the art“. And, in fact, they are true works of engineering.
Every day, more than 6000 vehicles travel the almost 11 kilometer underwater tunnel which connects Streymoy, the largest of the Faroe Islands and home to Tórshavn (one of the smallest capitals in the world), to Eysturoy, the second largest island in the archipelago.
Marita Gulklett / Flickr
Inside one of the tunnels connecting the Faroe Islands
These underwater tunnels are created using the drilling and blasting method: drilling holes in basalt — a strong igneous rock — and then filling the holes with dynamite.
At its lowest point, the tunnel is about 187 meters below sea level. And although having the North Atlantic overhead can cause anxiety, you can feel confident in your construction, guarantees Samuelsen.
“The tunnels were designed by the best engineers and geologists in the worldso safety in relation to the Atlantic is not a problem”, he states.
In addition to the visual aspect, the tunnel is also saturated with auditory art. The experience was created through “recording the sounds of construction, as well as the silence in the tunnel“, says Thomsen.
Instead of using conventional instruments, “this technique allowed me to find the voice of the tunnel”, says the musician responsible, Jens L. Thomsen.
And the practical aspects are also worth highlighting. With the tunnel roundabout, the driving time between the capital Tórshavn and the island of Eysturoy was reduced from about 60 minutes to about 15 minutes.
“During the winter, o ferry could sometimes be canceled for days, says the resident Barbara of Skard. Os Faroese They solved the problem with art — literally.
