Elves and Trolls
The island of the magical creatures
As mystical as the nature in Iceland is, the same applied to the inhabitants. Elves, fairies, gnomes and trolls inhabit the island. Many residents are so convinced that in addition to an elves school there are also experts who plan to bypass the streets so as not to disturb the mysterious inhabitants.
Many legends and stories are passed on in Iceland from generation to generation. Often the main characters are elves, who are also referred to as the nature spirits of Iceland. These could live together in rock formations, which still exist today with their secret people Huldufólk. It isn’t uncommon that street plans are changed so as not to disturb the elves. Conservation and belief in these creatures often go hand in hand.
Recently in 2013 at a planned highway between the peninsula Alftanes and Gardabaer, a suburb of Reykjavik, the habitat of secret people, as well as an Elven church, was in danger. Thus, a freeze was forced, until the elves could move on. A study by the University of Iceland has shown that belief in the secretive beings in Iceland is widespread. About 60 percent of the inhabitants are firmly convinced of the existence of the beings.
Dealing with the elves
Even if no one can really see the secret inhabitants of the island, they want to learn how to deal with them. Magnus Skarphédinsson, who is a designated elven expert, has compiled 12,000 eyewitness accounts from around the world in connection with fairies, dwarfs, etc. over decades of work. He is convinced that Iceland's isolated location is the reason why the myth has survived so long. Everyone who wants to learn more details about the secret invisible beings can attend the elf school founded by him and even take a diploma.
The fairy connoisseur has been passing on his knowledge since 1995 at the Álfaskólin in Reykjavik. Excursions to the secret places, where the indigenous peoples live in stones, rocks or even hills, are on the timetable. If you want to complete a positive diploma, you have to know everything about the 13 different types of elves, the three fairy types and the difference between gnomes and trolls. The school is especially popular with tourists who like to spend their holidays in Iceland for one reason only: to finally get in touch with a secret being.
