Ríp is a farm and church site in Hegranes. Rípurkirkja is the specific cultural and historical focal point: its design and consecration history, sacred art, and furnishings bring together several eras. Rípurkirkja combines two altarpieces with carved woodwork and liturgical furnishings. In Hegranes, rolling terrain meets the history of the former regional assembly.
The Construction History and Design of Rípurkirkja
The architect and master builder Rögnvaldur Ólafsson produced the first designs for Rípurkirkja in 1913. The church was consecrated on June 14, 1925. The dates mark different stages: the first designs and the consecration. Twelve years lie between 1913 and 1925. The church also has a rather tall tower.
Altarpieces and Furnishings
The two altarpieces can be distinguished by their dates and subjects. On the west wall is a painting from 1777 depicting the Last Supper. The other altarpiece was painted by Guðmund Einarsson frá Miðdal in 1927; it depicts the baptism of Jesus Christ. Their different dates and subjects offer two specific points of comparison within sacred art.
The furnishings include a silver chalice and a paten. Sigurður Jónsson frá Hróarsdal carved both the baptismal font and the hymn-number board from birchwood and donated them to the church. The two wood carvings thus share the same material, carver, and history as a gift. Two bells hang in the bell frame. The furnishings also include three old embroidered altar cloths, three four-branched candelabra, and six wall lights. The candelabra and wall lights were purchased abroad.
Religious History and Early Origins
The Catholic churches in Ríp were dedicated to the Apostle Andrew. Ríp is thought to have been founded during Iceland’s settlement period, around 870–930 AD; this interpretation is tentative. The dedication to the Apostle Andrew and the probable founding during the settlement period belong to different historical layers: religious dedication and early local history sit side by side.
Hegranes: Landscape and Regional History
Hegranes provides a broader regional setting worth exploring. The area is about 15 km long and 5 km wide—roughly three times as long as it is wide—and lies between the branches of the Héraðsvötn before they flow into the sea. Hegranes is hilly, marked by basalt ridges and steep cliffs; between the ridges are grassy marshes with small lakes.
The region’s history also extends beyond church history: the regional assembly of Norðlendingafjórðungur was once held in Hegranes. Two perspectives can inform your choice of destination: Ríp’s church art and local history, and Hegranes’s landscape and assembly history. Ríp is the specific cultural and historical focal point, while Hegranes provides the broader regional setting.
Discover more destinations: Lækjamót, Varmahlíð, Hofsós, Laugarbakki, Hvammstangi, Vidhidalstunga, Skagaströnd, Blönduós.
For the broader travel guide: Northwest Iceland.
