Built in 1953 as a hunting lodge, the "world's loneliest house" is located on an island five miles south of Iceland that's inhabited only by puffins.
Photononstop / Alamy Stock PhotoThe “loneliest house in the world” on the Icelandic island of Ellidaey.
Perched on a remote island near Iceland, battered by North Atlantic winds and surrounded by nothing but the endless ocean, stands a solitary white building often referred to as the “loneliest house in the world.”
This isolated structure has garnered significant interest over the years, with various rumors and legends spreading about its history. Some say it was built by a billionaire survivalist as a bunker to ride out a zombie apocalypse. Others believe it belongs to Icelandic singer Björk.
However, the truth is much less thrilling: The world’s loneliest house is nothing more than a humble hunting lodge.
The home can only be reached by traveling to Ellidaey Island by boat and scrambling up a steep, rocky cliff. And with just puffins as neighbors, any visitors are guaranteed to be the only humans as far as the eye can see.
The Uninhabited Island Of Ellidaey In The Vestmannaeyjar Archipelago
Hansueli Krapf/Wikimedia CommonsEllidaey as seen from the Atlantic, with mainland Iceland looming in the background.
The loneliest house in the world stands on Ellidaey, the northernmost island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, which is located about five miles south of Iceland’s mainland. At 110 acres, the tiny isle is roughly the size of Vatican City.
Known for its steep cliffs, grassy slopes, and rocky terrain, Ellidaey is part of a chain of 18 volcanic isles formed by a series of eruptions over the past 12,000 years. While only one of the islands is permanently inhabited today, the others may have historically held small camps or settlements where residents survived on fish, birds, and eggs.
The area’s population began rising with the invention of motor boats in the late 19th century, and the town of Vestmannaeyjabær on Heimaey, one of the islands next to Ellidaey, began to grow. Today, Vestmannaeyjabær’s population is around 4,400.
In January 1973, a volcano on Heimaey called Eldfell erupted, and volcanic ash covered the surrounding islands, including Ellidaey. At least 400 homes in Vestmannaeyjabær were destroyed, and the lava flow almost closed off the harbor, which would have been devastating to the town’s fishing industry. However, an operation to pump seawater onto the flow successfully cooled and stopped it before it reached the ports.
Hansueli Krapf/Wikimedia CommonsVestmannaeyjabær, the closest town to Ellidaey and the world’s loneliest house.
In addition to active volcanoes, the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago is also home to one of the world’s largest puffin colonies, with hundreds of thousands of these seabirds flocking to the region to nest during their breeding season.
The surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean are equally rich in marine life, from lobsters and seals to several whale species.
But beyond its importance as a North Atlantic ecosystem, there would be little to say about Ellidaey if it were not for the solitary white house standing in stark contrast to the green slopes around it.
Theories About The World’s Loneliest House
Over the years, many rumors have spread about the so-called loneliest house in the world. The fact that it’s not frequented by tourists has only bolstered some of the stranger conspiracy theories surrounding Ellidaey.
Some people believe that the isolated home was built by a mysterious billionaire to survive a future zombie apocalypse, though there is no evidence to support this.
Bjarni Sigurdsson/YouTubeAn interior view of the loneliest house in the world.
There’s even a common misconception that the singer Björk owns Earth’s loneliest house. As reported by Snopes, Prime Minister David Oddsson of Iceland offered Björk “the exclusive use” of an uninhabited island called Ellidaey in February 2000 because of her contributions to the country. She turned down the offer, as she didn’t want her home to draw tourists.
However, the island Oddsson was referring to is located in western Iceland, more than 100 miles from the loneliest house in the world.
So, who does own the famous white home on Ellidaey?
Who Built The Loneliest House In The World?
Despite the lively rumors surrounding the world’s loneliest house, it was actually built in 1953 as a hunting lodge by the Ellidaey Hunting Association. Members would seemingly gather to shoot the large numbers of puffins that gathered on Ellidaey’s shores.
Aconcagua/Wikimedia CommonsAn Atlantic puffin on the shores of Iceland.
Also known as Ball House, the lodge has a small kitchen, bathroom, and living space downstairs and a bunk room upstairs. There is also a small storage building nearby and — in true Nordic fashion — a sauna.
The home’s front porch looks out on the grassy expanse of Ellidaey, the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, and other nearby islands that are part of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. The closest is Bjarnarey, which sits less than a mile away and also has a small lodge. And a little more than two miles away is the island of Heimaey, home to the town of Vestmannaeyjabær.
The only way to reach the world’s loneliest house is by boat, but there are no docks or ports on Ellidaey. Instead, visitors must carefully climb a rocky cliff, hauling any supplies up with them. This trek doesn’t scare off many people, though — as of 2022, there were more than 11,000 signatures in the lodge’s guest book.
Still, tourism is limited due to the island’s conservation status. Ellidaey is protected as part of Iceland’s natural heritage. The hunting association maintains the property while preserving the island’s ecosystem. Puffin populations on the island are also monitored by researchers, as the birds have faced declining numbers in many parts of Iceland due to changing ocean conditions and food availability.
Wojciech Strzelecki “Wojtrix”/Wikimedia CommonsThe world’s loneliest house can only be reached by boat.
The world’s loneliest house itself has undergone periodic maintenance to preserve it against the harsh North Atlantic weather, but it remains intentionally rustic to maintain its historical character.
So, while there are no grand conspiracies involving billionaires or Björk at play on Ellidaey, it does still have plenty to offer in terms of scenic views and its vibrant ecosystem. If nothing else, the loneliest house in the world has helped shine a brighter light on Icelandic culture, history, and humanity’s complex relationship with the natural world.
After reading about the loneliest house in the world, learn about Rat Island, the only privately-owned island in New York City. Or, go inside the legend of Hy-Brasil, the mythical Irish isle that is said to appear once every seven years.
