Whispers of the Past: Exploring Reykjavík Through Folklore and History

Reykjavík might be Iceland’s capital, but it’s more than just modern buildings and bright street art. Underneath its colourful charm lies a deep current of folklore and history — stories whispered through its lava fields, twisted trees, and still waters.

On a recent tour of the city, I expected dramatic scenery and Nordic design. What I didn’t expect was how story-rich the land would feel — like every hill, rock, and shadow might just hold a secret. This photo captures the layered view: the modern city, the tree-covered landscape in the foreground, and beyond it all, the suggestion of something ancient still watching.

🏙️ First Impressions: A City Nestled in Nature

Looking out across Reykjavík from the hillside paths, the view is a mix of old and new. The city sprawls in bright blocks along the water, but just in front of it — untouched forest. Deep green, tangled, and gently chaotic.

Our guide explained that these woodlands were once sacred spaces, and in Icelandic folklore, places like these are often home to Huldufólk — the hidden people.
Invisible beings said to live in rocks, hills, and natural features, Huldufólk are deeply embedded in Iceland’s cultural identity. So much so that roads have been re-routed to avoid disturbing their supposed dwellings.

📖 Stories Beneath the Surface

One stop on our tour included Þingvellir National Park, where the first Icelandic parliament was founded over 1,000 years ago. But even Reykjavík’s urban areas carry history — Viking settlement sites, turf-roofed homes, and echoes of ancient storytelling traditions that are still alive in modern Icelanders’ sense of place.

This photo shows that contrast beautifully:

The layers of forest and city hint at the passing of time

The low clouds create a dreamlike veil, like the atmosphere is holding something just out of reach

The stillness of the water mirrors the stillness of stories waiting to be told

As a textile artist, this kind of image doesn't just inspire colour palettes and textures — it inspires narrative stitching. I want to create a piece that captures both the seen and unseen layers of this city.

🧵 Translating Stories into Stitch

1. Colour
Use muted greens, greys, slate blues, and pale lavenders to evoke the misty calm. Add brighter pops for the buildings — pinks, whites, soft reds.

2. Texture
Blend soft wool felts and smooth silks to contrast nature and urban surfaces. Add subtle texture using hand stitching for the forest canopy.

3. Shape
Let tree forms, roof lines, and jagged mountain shapes overlap. Include small, hidden forms in darker tones to suggest the “hidden folk.”

4. Storytelling Elements

Embroider symbolic runes or Icelandic motifs

Add stitched text from folktales or sagas

Use layered fabrics to suggest time, memory, and myth✨ A Creative Prompt for Your Sketchbook

Draw or print this photo

Mark the layers — sky, city, forest, grass — using lines and texture ideas

In the forest area, hide small stitched symbols or silhouettes

Choose one Icelandic folktale and stitch a small motif that reflects its meaning

💭 Final Thoughts

Reykjavík might be a modern city, but it walks in step with its myths. That’s something I find deeply inspiring — as artists, we too carry memory, texture, and story in everything we make. Whether you believe in the hidden people or not, one thing is certain: the land in Iceland is alive with imagination.

Next time you're in a new city, ask what stories lie beneath the surface — and let them guide your next stitched piece.