30 Eerily Beautiful Photos Of Abandoned Iceland

Published July 28, 2014
Updated October 8, 2019

The frigid island is typically associated with enchantment and natural splendor; these photos of abandoned Iceland present a slightly more sinister view.

Þorsteinn H Ingibergsson has been taking amazing pictures of isolated and abandoned locations in Iceland for more than two decades. Currently living in Reykjavík, Þorsteinn is an amateur photographer who also owns and operates a successful contracting business. His stunning images of abandoned Iceland–under glorious skies reminiscent of paintings–have been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines and have amassed quite the internet fan base.

In most cases, the images are eerie and unsettling, each photo with a story to be told; why were these places and items left standing, never to be returned to? These breathtaking images let the imagination run wild, while allowing a rare peek into the rare beauty of a place we don’t often think of in this light:

Abandoned Plane In Iceland
US Navy DC3 that ran out of gas and landed safely on the south coast of Iceland.

Abandoned Iceland Clouds Boat
The cloud wall hovering over the lost boat gives this shot an extra eerie feeling.

Abandoned Iceland DC3 Shell
Another shot of the lost US Navy DC3; this one shows just how hollowed out the shell of the plane has become.

Abandoned Iceland Defunct Machine
A powerful, monochromatic image of an abandoned farm machine.

Abandoned Iceland Farmhouse Tractor
This farmhouse and tractor sit silently together, no longer useful to anyone.

Abandoned Iceland Field Surveyor
This tractor looks out over the fields it once worked.

Abandoned Iceland Forgotten Tractor
Tractor left in a lonely Icelandic field.

Abandoned Iceland Graffiti Trailer
Discarded trailer that has been covered in graffiti over the years sits eerily in the middle of nowhere.

Abandoned Iceland Grass Roofs
Abandoned Icelandic farm homes with distinctive grass roofs.

Abandoned Iceland Leaning Ship
Monochrome picture of the yellowing leaning ship above; the clouds and angles make it almost look three dimensional.

Abandoned Iceland Lost Lift
Another piece of heavy machinery lost in the vast Icelandic landscape.

Abandoned Iceland Mercedes Bus
A Mercedes Benz bus long forgotten by its owner.

Abandoned Iceland Mountain Home
This long left behind stone abode looks as though it would be right at home in a horror film.

Abandoned Iceland Night Ship
The colors of the night sky add to the sad beauty of this forgotten ship.

Old Farmhouse In Iceland
Old farmhouses almost look operational with the sun reflection light off the windows; in reality no one knows how long they have sat empty.

Abandoned Iceland Red Tractor
Red farm tractor that has survived long past its working days.

Abandoned Iceland Remote Hangar
An abandoned aluminum building has the look of an old airplane hangar.

Abandoned Iceland Rocky Wall
Isolated and abandoned houses near an old stone wall.

Abandoned Iceland Rusting Truck
Monochrome shot of a truck that has not been functional for many, many years.

Abandoned Iceland SE21 Boat
A beached boat is shown resting just off the Icelandic coast. There are many wrecked and abandoned boats throughout the country, making you wonder just what the fate of the occupants was.

Abandoned Iceland Sheep Shelter
A group of sheep graze just outside an old shotgun shack that may be their only current form of shelter.

Abandoned Iceland Skeletal Boat
This boat’s exposed ribs give it the look of a desiccated beached whale.

Abandoned Iceland A Frame
Small A-Frame house waits patiently upon the snow covered rocks.

Abandoned Iceland Snowy Creek
A stone house and its rusting cars sit framed by a small creek and snow covered peaks in the distance.

Abandoned Iceland Steel Wheels
Here are the last remnants of a long-abandoned factory. The giant steel wheels will likely remain for decades to come.

Abandoned Iceland Triangle Houses
A row of three isolated farmhouses tucked away in the hillside.

Abandoned Iceland Truck And House
Another look at a previously shown decaying truck, with an abandoned farmhouse also in view.

Abandoned Farmhouse With Northern Lights
A magnificent twilight sky adds an additional glint of isolation to this abandoned barn.

Abandoned Iceland Viking Barn
These old storage barns have some extensive graffiti covering their exterior.

Abandoned Iceland Yellowing Ship
This long-ago wrecked ship has yellowed from the moss in the surrounding water.


Enjoy these beautiful photos of abandoned Iceland? Be sure to check out our posts on interesting quotes and incredible photographs of abandoned Detroit. Then, check out six of the most remote places on Earth.

author
Erin Kelly
author
An All That's Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and she's designed several book covers in her career as a graphic artist.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.