Herjólfstown is a small exhibition inside a replica of one of the first stone houses in Iceland and tells the story about the first viking family that settled in Westman Islands around the year 900. The exhibition is based on the sources, stories and hypotheses that have existed, some scenarios and stories are certainly fictitious, but still possible based on …
Oddi in Rangárvellir
Oddi in Rangárvellir is one of the main historical sites in Iceland, and there has been a church there since in the 11th century. The most famous of the Oddi clan was Sæmundur ‘the wise’ Sigfússon (1056-1133), who studied in Paris. Various legends have been created about Sæmundur. Then he was probably the first Icelandic historian that wrote a book …
Skálinn – Viking Center
In Skálinn – Viking Center, in the village of Þingeyri, you can play settlers and immerse yourself in their daily lives. Dress up in hand-stitched clothing from the Viking Age and bake bread over an open fire. In the reception hall, which has been decorated in Viking style, people have a unique opportunity to get to know the conditions and …
Viking World
The uniquely attractive Viking World houses the Viking ship, Íslendingur, built by the craftsman-captain, Gunnar Marel Eggertsson, who sailed it to New York in the year 2000. There are also three exciting exhibits and during summers, among other things is a ‘Settlement Zoo’ on the surrounding grounds. The Viking ship Íslendingur is an exact replica of the Gaukstad ship, and …
Hofsstaðir Historic Park
An impressive Viking-Age longhouse stood at Hofsstaðir from the Settlement period (AD 870-930) until the twelfth century. The historic park aims to give an impression of Hofsstaðir at that time: turf walls show the outer limit of the longhouse during its final phase, and remains of a large enclosure have been left untouched. Excavations were carried out at Hofsstaðir in …
Rimmugýgur Viking Club
Rimmugýgur is a club for people who are interested in the culture and battle skills of the Vikings. Is is the biggest Viking club in Iceland, established in the year 1997. They practice and prepare during the winter and tour festivals in Iceland and abroad during the summer. The club’s own festival in Hafnarfjörður is usually held in mid-June. In …
The Settlement Exhibition & Reykjavík… the story continues
Just below ground in Aðalstræti 16 in downtown Reykjavík, this open excavation uncovers the city’s Viking Age history. Discovered during building work in 2001, these archaeological remains turned out to be the earliest evidence of human settlement in the city, with some dating to before AD 871±2. Careful excavation revealed a 10th-century hall or longhouse, which is now preserved in …
National Museum of Iceland
The curious displays at the National Museum of Iceland captivate visitors of all ages. The secrets of the past will open up to you through the compelling stories told at the National Museum of Iceland. The permanent exhibition at the National Museum, “Making of a Nation – Heritage and History in Iceland”, is conceived as a journey through time and …
Saga Museum
At the height of the Age of the Sturlungs, chieftain Gissur Þorvaldsson raises his axe, ready to kill his arch enemy, Sturla Sighvatsson. With a crazed look in her eyes, explorer Freydís Eiríksdóttir slaps a sword against her naked breast to scare hostile “barbarians” in Vinland away. Law-speaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði lies under his fur blanket, racking his brain for a …
The Commonwealth Farm
The stately farm Stöng used to stand in the fertile Þjórsárdalur valley, until a disastrous eruption from volcano Hekla in 1104 destroyed it. However, the longhouse was preserved under layers of ash. When it was excavated and studied by archaeologists, it provided valuable historical information about life during the Icelandic Commonwealth in 11th–century Iceland. The Commonwealth Farm which is located …
Þingvellir National Park
Visit Þingvellir National Park for stunning nature, geological wonders, history and culture. Iceland’s parliament, Alþingi, was established there in 930 AD. Þingvellir became a national park in 1930 and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 for its cultural significance. The Þingvellir area is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland, situated on the Eurasian and …
The Settlement Center
The Settlement Center in Borgarnes takes visitors on a magical journey through Egil’s saga and the story of Iceland’s settlement; two interesting exhibitions. The Egil´s exhibition is dedicated to Egill Skallagrímsson, poet, warrior, and one of the Icelandic sagas’ most colorful characters in the 10th century. The exhibition takes visitors through the magical and mythical storyline of Egil’s saga. Scenes …
Eiríksstaðir
Warm yourself up by the long fire in the reconstructed longhouse in Eiríksstaðir and listen to a storyteller in Viking clothing tell about the inhabitants. The place can be called the „cradle of new worlds“ because it was here that Eirik The Red built a farm and started a family with his wife Þjóðhildur. Eirik was later the first Norseman to settle …
The Leif Eiriksson Center
The Leif Eiriksson Center in Búðardalur in Dalir is edicated to explorer Leif the Lucky and his father Eric the Red. The exhibiton traces the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red, documenting their discoveries of parts of Greenland and North America. According to the tale, Leif arrived in America in the year 1000 AD, about …
Museum of Prophecies
What does the future behold? Have your fortune told at the Museum of Prophecies in Skagaströnd in Northwest Iceland and learn about Þórdís the fortune-teller, the place’s first named inhabitant. Þórdís was not only known for her supernatural abilities, but she was also the foster mother of Þorvaldur the far traveller, Iceland’s first missionary, and her name appears in a …
Vatnsdaela Saga Tapestry
As one of the Icelandic sagas, Vatnsdaela saga, a story of love and struggle, is the family story of Hofverjar in Vatnsdalur near Blönduós and takes place in the 9th–11th century. It is mainly set in Vatnsdalur and the surrounding area but also takes place in Norway, Sweden, the Orkneys and Scotland. It is believed to have been written in …
1238: The Battle of Iceland
Visit 1238 – The Battle of Iceland Virtual and Augmented Reality Museum, and participate in the largest battle in Iceland’s history. Step into history and participate in the Battle of Örlygsstaðir immersive exhibition that takes you through some dramatic and violent Icelandic Sagas in a new and exciting way! The VR museum is located in Sauðárkrókur in North Iceland, close …
Snorrastofa í Reykholti
Snorrastofa er menningar og miðaldasetur í Reykholti, reist sagnaritaranum, fræðimanninum og höfðingjanum Snorra Sturlusyni (1179–1241) og verkum hans. Snorrastofa veitir ferðamönnum þjónustu og fræðslu í Gestastofu. Hún er á jarðhæð Reykholtskirkju – Snorrastofu, en þar er sýning um Snorra Sturluson, auk þess sem boðið er upp á styttri og lengri kynningar um miðaldir, Snorra og Reykholt. Þar er einnig rekin …