"Dive" into the world's only undersea tunnel with a roundabout

In the Faroe Islands, the wild and unpredictable weather — strong winds and rain, as well as thick fog that covers everything like a curtain — often makes travel by car or ferry difficult. So it's no wonder the locals love their tunnels.

They have built 17 of them on land and four under the sea — including the world's only undersea tunnel with a roundabout that is under water, writes A2 CNN. This network makes it easier to navigate this self-governing nation within the Kingdom of Denmark.

"Even though we are 18 islands, we often joke that (thanks to the tunnels) we defy the fact that we are islands," says Súsanna Sørensen, marketing manager at Visit Faroe Islands.

Located in the North Atlantic, between Iceland and Scotland, these volcanic islands with untouched landscapes amaze visitors. The two latest undersea tunnels are also strong engineering and artistic statements.

"This is our Eiffel Tower or Big Ben," says Teitur Samuelsen, CEO of Eystur-og Sandoyartunlar, the company that manages the tunnels, "with people, especially tourists, going through them just to see the art."

The tunnel filled with art

Every day, more than 6,000 vehicles pass through the nearly 11-kilometer-long undersea tunnel that connects Streymoy, the largest island of the Faroe Islands and home to Tórshavn (one of the world's smallest capitals), with Eysturoy- n, the second largest island of the archipelago.

In addition to its stunning natural landscapes, Eysturoy is home to the G! ​​Festival, an outstanding local and international music event that takes place every July in the seaside village of Syðrugøta.

The construction of the Eysturoy Tunnel took about four years and opened in December 2020. These underwater tunnels are created using the drill and blast method: holes are drilled in basalt — a hard volcanic rock — and then they are filled with dynamite.

At its lowest point, the tunnel is about 187 meters below sea level. Although having the North Atlantic overhead can be anxiety-inducing, Samuelsen assures that his build is very safe. "The tunnels were designed by the best engineers and geologists in the world, so safety with the Atlantic above is not a problem," he says.

The passage through this tunnel is magical, culminating in a sculptural roundabout with color-changing lights, so attractive that some have compared it to the aurora borealis or candles shining in the sun, writes A2 CNN. The roundabout — called the "candle" — is certainly a tourist attraction, says Sørensen. Many people take several laps around it to enjoy the stunning scene.

Renowned Faroese artist Tróndur Patursson was commissioned to create this vibrant installation. But why spend time and money putting art in undersea tunnels? “We have a lot of good art in Faroe and we want to support our artists. Besides, it breaks the monotony in a long, dark tunnel, so it's good for driving safety,” says Samuelsen.

When this tunnel was created, a natural basalt column in the center was deliberately left standing for the roundabout where the tunnel branches off towards Strandur and Rókin, which are on either side of a fjord in Eysturoy.

The central column, radiating clouds of color, is surrounded at its base by an impressive steel sculpture. Drivers see a steel ring of silhouetted, life-size figures holding hands around the column and peering in at the ever-changing lights.

Patursson has said that his aim was to represent how the people of the Faroe Islands, despite the harsh environment they live in, are resilient and united in their achievements by working together. But for many, the circle of interlocking figures evokes the traditional Faroese chain dance that you can see if you visit the Faroes for Ólavsøka, National Day, on July 29.

Beyond the visuals, the tunnel is also filled with sound art. Musician Jens L. Thomsen composed an ethereal jingle that you can hear by tuning into FM97 while driving in the tunnel.

The experience was created by “recording the sounds of construction as well as silence in the tunnel,” says Thomsen. Instead of using conventional instruments, "this technique allowed me to find the voice of the tunnel," he adds.

Totems that glow in the dark

The Eysturoy tunnel is not the only amazing underwater experience. As of December 2023, Streymoy and the small island of Sandoy are connected by the newest undersea tunnel, the Sandoy Tunnel. About 1,000 vehicles a day travel on this approximately 10 kilometer long road, which at its lowest point is 155 meters below the North Atlantic.

Here too, the visual art and sound are equally appealing. Along the rugged basalt walls, nearly a dozen illuminated images represent some of the characters in Faroese folklore, such as a bishop with a battle axe, an old witch and a seal woman.

This was created by Edëard Fuglø, a well-known local artist, who has given a modern approach to ancient cave paintings, writes A2 CNN. It also depicts birds as an homage to the self-taught 19th-century painter Díðrikur á Skarvanesi, the first recognized visual artist in the Faroes.

Sunleif Rasmussen, a well-known Faroese composer, created the acoustic landscape. "I dreamed up the melody," says Rasmussen. He used some of the sounds of the tunnel, including water dripping during construction, as well as music from the lead singer of pop group Snowflakes to produce this innovative electroacoustic work.

This creates a surreal experience for drivers connecting to FM100 as they pass through this tunnel towards Sandoy, where white sandy beaches, tall sand dunes — the only ones in this archipelago — and a wide lake ideal for kayaking await. .

Transformative infrastructure

"With all this developed tunnel infrastructure, it's easy for our guests to move around the country," says Sørensen.

With the roundabout tunnel, the travel time from the capital Tórshavn to the island of Eysturoy has been cut from about 60 minutes to about 15 minutes. Also, it has become easier to visit the other islands. “Now you can drive from Tórshavn to Klaksvik, the second largest city (located in Borðoy), in just 45 minutes instead of 75 minutes,” adds Sørensen.

The Sandoy tunnel has been particularly vital for change. “More and more people are now moving to Sandoy from Tórshavn. In a village where 145 people live, 10 apartments are being built. This is too much for us,” says resident Barbara av Skardi, who would never have considered moving to Sandoy if it weren't for the tunnel. “During the winter, the ferry could sometimes be canceled for days due to strong winds and unpredictable currents,” she says.

New businesses are opening, and others are seeing an increase in visitors. "Thanks to the tunnel, me and my wife, Barbara, returned to Sandoy and opened Cafe Retro," says business co-owner Dávur Jacobsen. And according to Ólavur Jøkladal, director of the Sandur Art Museum, "The number of visitors has more than doubled since the tunnel opened." (A2 Televizion)