Island will build the first temple to worship the Torah and Odin after 1000 years

Reykjavík - A large pagan temple will be constructed this month on a hill above the Icelandic capital, Reykjavík, where Icelanders will be able to publicly worship the Norse gods Thor, Odin, and the goddess Frigg. This will be the first such shrine on the island since the Viking Age, reported Reuters.
    The inhabitants of Scandinavia began to abandon their belief in the Norse gods around the year 1000 AD, gradually converting to Christianity. Recently, however, modern versions of paganism are regaining popularity in Iceland.
    The neo-pagan organization Ásatrúarfélag (the gods are called Ás in Norse mythology), founded in 1972, states that its membership has tripled over the last ten years. It now has 2,400 members according to official statistics in the island nation of 330,000 residents.
    The temple, which will stand on the hill Öskjuhlíd, will accommodate about 250 people. Weddings, funerals, and other ritual ceremonies, such as naming ceremonies, will be held here. There are also plans to host concerts and similar events.
    "I believe that today no one really believes in the one-eyed man who rides an eight-legged horse (Odin)," said Icelandic composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, who serves as the chief priest of the Ásatrúarfélag association, which aims to promote faith in the Norse gods and conduct pagan rituals. "We see these stories more as a poetic metaphor and a manifestation of natural forces and the human psyche," he added.
    The construction of the temple is expected to be completed next year. The building will be partially buried in the ground and its dome will allow sunlight to filter through in varying ways depending on the seasons.
    According to the Icelandic news portal Vísir, Hilmarsson expects that the new temple will also attract more visitors from abroad to Reykjavík. Interest in Old Norse mythology has been sparked in recent years by popular films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy based on the books of J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as the Thor and Avengers films featuring the thunder god and Marvel comic superhero Thor.