THE RECYCLED HOUSE
The Front Of The house
Inside The House
Outside The House
The Basement
Artistic Gallery Photographed By Weronika Jot
Notable Residents & Visitors
- Björk lived in the house during her pregnancy, finding inspiration in its unique atmosphere.
- Ezra Miller attempted to purchase the house for 400 million Icelandic krona, making headlines in Iceland's media.
- Many other famous personalities have tried to acquire this unique piece of Nordic architecture and film history.
The Hark
SACRED RITUAL
Witness an authentic Norse religious ceremony as Ulf Jonsson invokes Frey at the Iron Flower Temple, a sacred shrine of the Ásatrú followers.
A glimpse into the ancient Nordic traditions that inspired The Recycled House
Traditional Norse invocation ceremony
HONOURED BY THE PRESIDENT OF ICELAND
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
2010
Presidential Recognition
Honoured by the Icelandic president for his lifetime achievements.
The President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson - Honouring the Film Director
Presidential Recognition
A moment of honor as Iceland's cinematic achievements are celebrated at the highest level.
Film Industry Celebration
Gathering of Iceland's finest filmmakers and cultural luminaries.
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Cultural Legacy
Honoring contributions to Icelandic cinema and cultural heritage.
THE SWEDISH FILM INSTITUTE - THE GOLDEN BEETLE
Golden Beetle Award (1984)
The Swedish Film Institute
The Jury's Award
"Guldbaggen – comic, tragic, bizarre, splendid – like the film's world of contrasts. Its shimmering flight – the running film-strip. The 1984 Guldbagge has been awarded by the Swedish Film Institute to Hrafn Gunnlaugsson for 'Hrafninn Flýgur (Korpen flyger)', simple, powerful, moving."
GOOD MEMORIES
Leonard Cohen at the Blue Lagoon
A memorable encounter with the legendary poet and musician during his visit to Iceland.
TV Program Preparation
Leonard Cohen preparing for the television program "It is good to be here..."
Message from Donovan
Donovan with a heartfelt letter: "To EDDA & Hrafn Gunnlaugsson with love, Donovan - 1994"
Ingmar Bergman at the Blue Lagoon
The Swedish film master and Hrafn Gunnlaugsson sharing a moment in Iceland's geothermal wonder.
Leading Ladies
On the left Maria Bonnevie, leading actress in The White Viking. On the right Alda Sigurðardóttir, leading actress in The Sacred Mound. I had this picture taken to illustrate how people imagine the life of the film director - two blondes on each side :-)
Comments left by visitors
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"I just came by here by accident. So amazing, beautiful and attractive place, thank you very much. and i really hope you will keep this work. Really, and sorry this ugly paper and my ugly english haha!" -
"The house is beautiful." -
"Wow! i don't know who this house belongs to, or who's living here but it's really a great place wonderful!" -
"This place is amazing, the most, beautiful place in Reykjavik. Got so inspired!"
THE RAVEN TRILOGY
The Raven Flies Hrafninn Flýgur
The opening strike of the "Raven Trilogy" hurls us into Viking‑Age Iceland, where a boy spared by raiders returns decades later as a silent blade of vengeance. Gunnlaugsson films the lava fields and black‑sand coasts as if they were runes—harsh, beautiful, inexorable. Praised as the greatest Icelandic film ever made and Iceland's Oscar submission for 1985, it announced a new, uncompromising voice in world cinema.
In the Shadow of the Raven Í skugga hrafnsins
The saga deepens into a snow‑bright meditation on desire and destiny. A forbidden love ignites between rival clans just as Christian missionaries arrive, forcing ancient honor codes to collide with tremors of a new faith. Shot in sweeping 2.35:1 widescreen and submitted for the 61st Academy Awards, it expands the trilogy's moral terrain—asking whether loyalty survives when the gods begin to fall silent.
The White Viking Hvíti víkingurinn
Gunnlaugsson's most ambitious canvas yet follows Askur, a pagan prince taken by King Olaf Tryggvason and forced to bear the cross back to Iceland. Longships crash through storm‑torn fjords, ritual fires flare against cathedral shadows, and an entire epoch teeters between axe and altar. Released in multiple cuts—including a five‑hour TV epic—this film set a new benchmark for scope in Nordic cinema.
Embla Director's Cut of The White Viking
Premiering at the Reykjavík International Film Festival, Embla is the definitive, 174‑minute vision Gunnlaugsson fought to unveil. By shifting the narrative center to Embla—the captive priestess caught between pagan rite and Christian conquest—the director restores lost poetry, enriches every character arc, and closes the trilogy on his own, fiercely spiritual terms. A rare example of a director's cut that doesn't just add scenes—it rewrites legend.
Trailer of "The Raven Flies"
OTHER FILMS
Middle Ages Now
A film by the director of the legendary Viking film "The Raven Flies". Most authentic Film ever made on the Middle Ages.
"Like a Rembrandt painting coming to life ... beautiful, cruel, thrilling, astonishingly intimate"
The Sacred Mound
(Original title: Hin Helgu Vé)
A film by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
International Film Festival Troia 1994: Golden Dolphin for best film, Silver Dolphin for best Actress and actor.
Comments By Celebrities On The Raven Flies
Epic story-telling at its best.
One Of My Favorite Films
Simple, powerful, controlled.
An outstanding effort in combining history and cinematography. One can say: These images will survive...
The most authentic-looking Viking picture anybody's ever made – nothing I've seen by American and English studios can match it. The director has the makings of a master to reckon with.
Has all of Leone's operatic scope combined with Peckinpah's knack for action, and Kurosawa's lifting imagery.
A jolting, vivid tale played with all stops pulled out.
I never forget when I saw the film in New York back in the '80s. I had never seen that kind of film before. It was both thrilling and powerful, while it was simple and moving. True cinema.
The film gallops along administering its own brand of creative justice in a dazzling fashion complete with sweeping images and an epic score. A stark, vivid environment, quite unlike Hollywood's vision; it waves in mythic quality to the action.
It is hard to recreate classical saga-literature on film, but I want to say you have really succeeded. You have made a Viking film that captures the atmosphere of that era better than anybody before you.
EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY
Hrafn Gunnlaugsson holds a distinguished position as a member of the European Film Academy, representing Iceland's cinematic voice on the international stage.
Academy Recognition
At the inaugural European Film Awards in 1988, In the Shadow of the Raven received multiple nominations, including Best Actress for Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir and Best Supporting Actor for Helgi Skúlason.
Mentoring Future Filmmakers
In 2000, Gunnlaugsson hosted the EFA's "A Sunday in the Country" retreat for young filmmakers at his home in Reykjavík, continuing his legacy of nurturing new talent.
International Acclaim
Winner of Sweden's prestigious Golden Beetle Award for Best Director, cementing his status as a master of Nordic cinema whose influence extends far beyond Iceland's shores.
GUIDED TOURS
Experience The Recycled House
Join us for an exclusive guided tour by a family member of this remarkable architecture. Your tour includes:
- Special access to film props and artifacts
- Opportunity to examine authentic Viking-era replicas
- Stories from the making of The Raven Trilogy
- Possible chance to meet Hrafn Gunnlaugsson himself (if available)
Duration: 30 minutes
Laugarnestangi 65, Reykjavík
By the seaside
Tour Information
Schedule:
Tours are conducted in groups and are available until 7PM.
Reservations:
Reservations must be made at least one day in advance, between 9AM and 7PM (via phone or email).
Group Tours:
There are no fixed tour times; all guests reserved for the same day will join a single group.
Timing:
The exact tour time will be provided to you after booking.
Payment:
Payment is made in person—cash or PayPal only.
CONTACT
For guided tours of the Recycled House or questions about the house itself, please contact us:
recycled.housee@gmail.com
+354 854-6177
Follow us on Instagram:
@recycled.houseeContact us for guided tours and inquiries about The Recycled House - a unique architectural monument to sustainable living and Nordic tradition.
