Höfði House

Hofdi House

The Reykjavik audio-guided tour stops you before Hofdi House, a white residence set with its back to the ocean in the middle of a vast lawn. Simple, almost modest in appearance, it is nonetheless one of the most internationally known historic sites in Iceland.

A place of world history

Prefabricated in Norway, then shipped and assembled in Reykjavik in 1909, the white wooden house was originally intended for the first French consul on the island, Jean-Paul Brillouin. But its fame is due above all to a major event: it was here, in 1986, that the summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev was held, a turning point in relations between the United States and the USSR, considered a step towards the end of the Cold War.

What there is to see

Set facing the bay, Hofdi House can be admired in its setting of lawn, with the ocean and the mountains as a backdrop. Its plain silhouette contrasts with the importance of the events it has hosted. It is a place of diplomatic memory, where one measures the unexpected role of Reykjavik in the history of international relations.

Practical information

Hofdi House is on the seafront, north of Reykjavik. It can be seen from the outside, in its setting of lawn facing the ocean; the interior, reserved for official uses, cannot usually be visited. It is an open-air stop, accessible at any time.

Why is Hofdi House famous ?

It was here that the 1986 summit between Reagan and Gorbachev was held, considered a step towards the end of the Cold War.

Can Hofdi House be visited ?

The interior, reserved for official uses, cannot usually be visited; the house can be seen from the outside.