Sæluhúsið á Mosfellsheiði

Ferðafélag Íslands has in recent months been working on the reconstruction of a shelter on the eastern part of Mosfellsheiði. It was originally built around 1890 by the new road to Þingvellir, which is now known as the Old Þingvellir Road (Gamli Þingvallavegurinn). The house was built of hewn basalt, measuring 7 x 4 meters with walls 1.80 meters high. It had a pitched roof, probably covered with corrugated iron, and an entrance on the long side.

The reconstruction involved digging down to the bedrock, casting a new foundation, and rebuilding the walls from the original basalt in the same way as was done more than 130 years ago. Finally, the house was fitted with a new roof and the interior was completed, including doors, windows, and flooring.

On Saturday, June 22, 2025, the house was rededicated. Reverend Guðlaug Helga Guðlaugsdóttir, parish priest in Mosfellsbær, blessed the shelter and the hands of those who had contributed, and her beautiful speech was especially well received.

The house is now open to everyone as a shelter for travelers crossing Mosfellsheiði, but not for overnight stays.