The world’s ‘loneliest’ house is so lonely that no one has ever lived there

Being a city-dweller can be overwhelming. There are heaving trains, belching smoke, and eye-watering rent to contend with, for starters.

Who among us hasn’t dreamed of retreating to a remote island?

Anyone looking for the most solitary end of the remote spectrum might pause for thought at what is described as the world’s ‘loneliest’ house – the sole property on an isolated island, population: 0.

Sitting south of Iceland, Elliðaey Island is part of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, a group of 18 islands with a total population of 4,414.

And right in Elliðaey’s middle is the white house, a property completely shrouded in mystery and abandoned for years.

The house has fuelled an array of conspiracy theories, including – but not limited to – that it was intended as the perfect retreat from the zombie apocalypse, that it’s been used by a religious cult, and that it’s actually owned by Icelandic singer Björk. All claims which are, of course, untrue.

So how did this lonely little dwelling get there, and why was it abandoned? It wasn’t built by someone with hopes of living there, but by the Elliðaey Hunting Association.

When was the ‘World’s loneliest house’ built?

It was constructed in the 1950s as a space for visiting hunters, namely targeting puffins, which it remains legal to do in both Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

But despite being one of the most isolated houses in the world, the white house hasn’t been without its visitors.

In 2021, YouTuber Ryan Trahan documented his visit to the home, which he visited for 24 hours.

Notably, he said locals believed it was treacherous for anyone without professional experience to try to travel to the island – but he did it anyway.

After taking numerous boats to get there, including a ferry and a tiny boat crossing rocky waters and heavy fog, Ryan is pictured using a rope to scramble up the side of the cliff to secure his landing, almost like a reverse abseil.

Inside the house, we see a cabin-type feel to it, as it’s decked out with wooden floors and walls, and even a log burner.

Supposedly, there’s no electricity or indoor plumbing, but the property secures its water connection using a rainwater collection system – which is also used to power the sauna.

As we see from the visitor’s book with multiple entries, Ryan hasn’t been the only visitor over the years, either. In fact, he’s been beaten to it by 11,264 other people since it was first built 70 years ago.

As for the wider history of Elliðaey, various families lived in huts on the island around 300 years ago.

However, in the 1930s, the entire community left for more populated horizons, as they realised they’d be afforded better opportunities elsewhere – and wouldn’t have to live largely by fishing and raising cattle.

Interested in staying at the white house? You can’t do so without permission – but you could try contacting the Elliðaey Hunting Association, which owns the property to this day.

This article was first published on November 6, 2024.

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