Iceland's industrial heritage is almost entirely defined by one commodity: herring. The Atlantic herring boom of the 1920s–50s transformed remote Icelandic fjords into industrial processing centers of extraordinary scale — enormous corrugated iron factory hulks built at the ends of fjords with no road access, staffed by hundreds of workers in a remote Arctic landscape. The herring stock collapse of the 1950s–60s emptied these factories overnight and left them to rust in the fjords. Djúpavík's herring factory, one of the largest in the world when built in 1934, and Hjalteyri's 1937 factory — Iceland's largest when constructed — are the two most dramatic examples of an industrial dereliction typology unique to the North Atlantic. Discover the 5 best abandoned factories in Iceland, selected from our Iceland Urbex Map — 50+ verified GPS locations.
Why Iceland Has the Most Dramatic Abandoned Industrial Heritage in Europe
No European industrial landscape concentrates the same visual drama as an Icelandic herring factory: cathedral-scale corrugated iron ruins at the end of a remote Arctic fjord, surrounded by nothing but mountains, sea and the specific Icelandic light. The herring crash created an industrial ghost town pattern available nowhere else in the world.
1. Djúpavík Herring Factory – Westfjords — Built 1934, One of the World's Largest Herring Factories, Closed 1954, Abandoned Village 1968, Rusting Fjord Hulk (Known Location)
The remote Icelandic village of Djúpavík in the northwest began to flourish in 1917 with a first herring processing station. After bankruptcy in 1919, a second much larger herring processing plant was constructed in 1934 and people began to flock to the once-empty village. With fish stocks so low, the owners were forced to close the plant in 1954. Given its isolated location, the village was entirely abandoned in 1968 and virtually forgotten. In 1985, Eva Sigurbjørnsdóttir and her husband Ásgeirr Thórhallsson chose to settle in the village and began reconstructing buildings. The main factory structure — a massive corrugated iron hulk — remains in dramatic dereliction on the fjord shore.
🔗 Sources: Abandoned Spaces – Djúpavík Herring Factory | Infinite Road – Djúpavík Ghost Town
2. Hjalteyri Herring Factory – Near Akureyri, North Iceland — Built 1937, Iceland's Largest Herring Plant When Constructed, Herring Disappeared 1960s, Fjord Setting Near Akureyri (Known Location)
Hjalteyri was once a major herring harbor, and its old fish factory was Iceland's largest herring-processing plant when it was built in 1937. The herring disappeared in the 1960s and the factory was closed. These days the factory complex at Hjalteyri — 20km north of Akureyri — has become a destination for those curious about Iceland's herring industrial heritage, with the derelict factory halls still dominating the small harbor settlement. The proximity to Akureyri (Iceland's second city) makes Hjalteyri the most accessible major herring factory ruin in Iceland.
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Iceland →
3. Westfjords Herring Factory Ruins – Remote Westfjords — 1920s–1940s Herring Processing, Corrugated Iron Hulk, Remote Fjord, No Road Access
Beyond Djúpavík, the Westfjords contain several smaller herring processing facilities from the 1920s–40s boom period that have received far less documentation than Djúpavík: corrugated iron processing halls at the ends of minor fjords, accessible only by small boat or on foot along coastal paths, in states of extreme dereliction. The combination of complete isolation — no road access, no electricity, no other buildings — and the specific Westfjords light and fjord drama creates a herring factory dereliction experience more extreme even than Djúpavík. All GPS in our Iceland Urbex Map.
4. Hvalfjörður Whaling Station – Whale Fjord, Near Reykjavík — Historical Whaling Processing Infrastructure, WWI-Era Buildings, Derelict Rendering Facilities, 1 Hour from Reykjavík (Exclusively on Our Map)
The Hvalfjörður whaling station — in the fjord whose name literally means Whale Fjord, one hour's drive from Reykjavík — represents a specifically Icelandic industrial dereliction: whale rendering and processing infrastructure from the early 20th century in a dramatic 30km-long mountain fjord. The derelict processing buildings, the rendering facility infrastructure and the extraordinary Hvalfjörður landscape — the longest and deepest fjord in the region, flanked by 1000m mountains — create an industrial ruin experience of unusual historical and visual depth. Mapped exclusively in our Iceland Urbex Map.
5. Derelict Fish Processing Plant – Álftanes or Reykjavík Area — Post-War Industrial Fishing Decline, Concrete Processing Hall, Harbour Setting, Reykjavík Metropolitan Area (Our Map Only)
Álftanes is an area with abandoned fish processing plants near Reykjavík — post-war industrial fishing infrastructure that became obsolete as Iceland's fishing industry consolidated and modernized from the 1970s onward. Several derelict fish processing facilities in the greater Reykjavík area — concrete processing halls, cold storage infrastructure and harbor loading facilities — create an industrial urbex experience within reach of the capital. GPS in our Iceland Urbex Map.
Safety Tips
- Corrugated iron factory roofs: decades of Arctic freeze-thaw cycles have compromised corrugated iron roof structures — never enter areas with sagging or visibly damaged roof sections
- Westfjords road conditions: the Westfjords gravel roads are excellent in summer but impassable in winter — Djúpavík is only safely accessible June–September; always check road.is
- Asbestos in industrial buildings: Icelandic industrial buildings from the 1930s–60s may contain asbestos insulation — always wear an FFP2 mask in enclosed factory spaces
- Never explore alone — always bring at least one other person; Westfjords sites have no phone signal in many locations
❓ FAQ
What is the most famous abandoned factory in Iceland?
The Djúpavík herring factory in the Westfjords — one of the largest herring processing plants in the world when built in 1934, closed in 1954 when herring stocks collapsed, and the village abandoned in 1968. The massive corrugated iron hulk on the fjord shore is Iceland's most dramatic industrial ruin. Accessible only via a long Westfjords gravel road — 3 hours from Ísafjörður.
Why did Iceland's herring factories close?
Atlantic herring stocks in Icelandic waters collapsed dramatically in the late 1950s–60s following decades of industrial overfishing. The factories that had processed hundreds of thousands of tonnes of herring annually were left without raw material and closed within months of each other. The remote fjord locations that had been chosen for their proximity to fishing grounds became ghost towns when the fishing stopped.
How do I get to Djúpavík?
By car via the Westfjords from Ísafjörður — approximately 3 hours on gravel roads. The hotel (Hotel Djúpavík) opens from June to August; the factory exterior is accessible year-round in dry conditions. A 4WD is strongly recommended; check road.is for current conditions before departing.
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