Sandvík

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• Population: 113
• Postal code: FO 860
• Location: 61°38′16″N, 6°55′19″W
• Municipality: Hvalbiar

Sandvík [ˈsanvʊik], the northernmost village Sandvík is a small cosy and picturesque village situated at the bottom of a shallow fjord of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. Sandvík was actually called Hvalvík (Bay of Whales) until 1913. The inhabitants changed the name to Sandvík because they were annoyed by the fact that their mail was confused with mail The name means "sandy bay".

It is connected to the road system of the island through a 1500 meters long tunnel located high in the mountains.

There is a small museum called "bóndahusið uttan Ánna" in the centre of the village. It is located in a traditional Faroese house from 1860.

A narrow road leads from Sandvík to the west coast with many birdscliff with a rich life of seabirds. Ásmundarstakkur is a 97 meters high detached rock on which puffins and other seabirds are nesting.

[edit] History

Sandvík is the place where Sigmundur Brestisson is murdered after his long swim from Skúvoy in an attempt to flee from Tróndur í Gøtu. When Sigmundur came ashore, exhausted from his long swim to what he thought would be safety, Torgrímur the Evil One fell upon him as he lay helpless on the sand and killed him for the golden bracelet he wore on his arm. In 1349 the place was deserted. The inhabitants were all killed by the plague ‘The Black Death’. First 1816 was the place inhabited again.

The church in Sandvík was built in Froðba in 1840. Later it was moved to Tvøroyri and finally in 1908 it was moved to Sandvík.

[edit] See also

• List of towns in the Faroe Islands