Tourists barred from abandoned bridge in Faroese village

Tourists are no longer permitted to walk on the disused bridge leading to Rituskorð in Sandvík, Faroe Islands, after authorities clarified that the site lacks official trail approval, transport and municipal affairs minister Jacob Vestergaard announced Friday.

The 1974-built bridge, originally used twice yearly to transport sheep to grazing land, has no designated hiking path, Vestergaard told public broadcaster KVF. His statement follows reports of increasing tourist visits to the structure, drawn by its striking appearance in online images.

Local tour operators, contacted by KVF, declined formal comment but acknowledged the bridge’s popularity among visitors. Some residents of Suðuroy island have previously called for a new, safer bridge to replace the aging structure. The current landowner, Bárður Willumsen, has also advocated for a replacement.