Photography

Photos: A Viking Fire Festival in Scotland

On Scotland’s Shetland Islands, a fire festival called Up Helly Aa celebrates the region’s Norse heritage. It takes place every January to mark the end of the yule season.

By Alan Taylor
A person wearing a fanciful Viking costume, holding an axe, stands in front of a burning replica of a viking ship, seen in silhouette.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
The Guizer Jarl, Lynden Nicolson, and his Jarl Squad stands beside his Viking Galley ship as it is set on fire on January 27, 2026, in Lerwick, Scotland.
A person wears a metallic-looking helmet shaped like the skull of a fearsome monster.
Andy Buchanan / AFP / Getty
Members of the Jarl Squad gather before parading through the streets in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, on January 27, 2026, before the Up Helly Aa festival later in the day.
A crowd gathers around a group of people dressed as Vikings who pose beside a replica of a Viking ship beside a harbor.
Jane Barlow / PA Images / Getty
The Jarl Squad poses beside the galley at the harbor in Lerwick on January 27, 2026.
People dressed as Vikings march in a parade.
Jane Barlow / PA Images / Reuters
Members of the Jarl Squad parade through Lerwick on January 27, 2026.
A person dressed as a Viking poses while standing beside the dragon head of a replica Viking ship.
Andy Buchanan / AFP / Getty
Lynden Nicolson, the Guizer Jarl of the Up Helly Aa Jarl Squad poses after parading through the streets in Lerwick, on January 27, 2026.
People dressed as Vikings, carrying torches, march during a parade.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
The Jarl Squad marches through the streets of Lerwick on January 27, 2026.
People dressed as Vikings hold large flaming torches during a parade.
Jane Barlow / PA Images / Getty
Members of the Jarl Squad take part in the torchlight procession in Lerwick on January 27, 2026.
A crowd of people holding flaming torches surrounds a replica Viking ship in a public square.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
The Guizer Jarl and his Jarl Squad gather around his Viking galley ship before it is set on fire.
People toss flaming torches onto a pile on top of a burning replica Viking ship.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
The Viking longship is burned during the Up Helly Aa festival on January 27, 2026, in Lerwick, Scotland.
A person wearing a Viking costume with a winged helmet is seen in silhouette in front of a burning Viking ship.
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
A man dressed as a Viking stands beside the burning longship on January 27, 2026.
A close view of dozens of burning torches that have been tossed into a pile.
Andy Buchanan / AFP / Getty
Torches tossed by Jarl Squad members burn atop the Viking longship.
A replica of a Viking ship goes up in flames, surrounded by piles of burning torches.
Jane Barlow / PA Images / Reuters
People watch the burning of the longship in Lerwick, during the Up Helly Aa festival.
A view of the dragon head of a replica Viking ship, surrounded by flames
Jeff J Mitchell / Getty
The Viking longship goes up in flames on January 27, 2026.

About the Author

Alan Taylor is a senior editor at The Atlantic.
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