The European islands are home to the world’s first and only underwater roundabout, hidden inside the remarkable Eysturoy Tunnel.
The Eysturoy Tunnel is home to the only undersea roundabout in the world(Image: Getty)
Tourists travelling to the Faroe Islands may be surprised to stumble upon the world’s first underwater roundabout during their stay. The roundabout lies within the Eysturoy Tunnel, which opened four years ago in December 2020 and has dramatically cut travel times between the various islands in the archipelago.
While located roughly halfway between Scotland and Iceland, the Faroe Islands belong to the Kingdom of Denmark, although they’ve maintained self-governance since 1948. The islands’ location means that unpredictable weather can create difficulties for travel, leading to the creation of an extensive tunnel system – 17 on land and four under the sea, with the deepest section lying 187m (613ft) beneath sea level.
The Eysturoy Tunnel and its roundabout are believed to have cut journey times from the capital, Torshavn, to the village of Runavik from an hour and 14 minutes down to just 16 minutes.
The Faroe Islands consist of 17 inhabited islands along with numerous smaller islets and reefs.
Discussing the tunnel network, Súsanna Sørensen, marketing manager of Visit Faroe Islands, said: “Though we are 18 islands, we often joke that we defy the fact that we are islands (thanks to the tunnels).”
While the idea of driving through an undersea tunnel in the Northern Atlantic might appear intimidating, the tunnels were constructed with exactly this worry in mind. Teitur Samuelsen, chief executive of Eystur-og Sandoyartunlar, the company operating the tunnels, said: “The tunnels are designed by the world’s leading engineers and geologists, so safety with regards to the Atlantic above is not an issue.”
According to CNN, the Eysturoy Tunnel is “magical” to drive through, with the roundabout appearing so striking that its colours have drawn comparisons to the Northern lights, or even jellyfish.
It’s not just this tunnel that boasts visual flair either – artwork and installations can be found in several of the other tunnels too.
Consider the Sandoy Tunnel, for example, which connects the islands of Streymoy and Sandoy. It’s decorated with glow-in-the-dark totems, honouring characters from Faroese folklore.
Discussing the decision to invest in beautifying these tunnels, Teitur Samuelsen remarked: “We have a lot of good art in the Faroes, and we’d like to support our artists. In addition, it breaks up the monotony in a long, dark tunnel, so it’s good for driving safety.”
