Icelandic settlement history and cultural heritage

Iceland was settled by Norse vikings back in 930 A.D. After them followed vikings from The British Isles and Scandinavia. Colonization lasted for 60 years, establishing society and democracy with Alþingi at Þingvellir, where chiefs would meet up once a year. The language and cultural heritage from the settlement is present up until modern Iceland, as with traditions and storytelling passed on from the ancestors in the sagas and eddas of Iceland. Learn more at the museums and cultural centres.

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a white church with a red roof and a horse statue next to it on a cloudy day

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Borg á Mýrum is an ancient farm and church estate due west of Borgarnes township. Its recorded history reaches back to the settlement of Iceland. One of the country's original settlers was Skallagrímur Kveldúlfsson, who claimed the area around Borg as his land, built a farm and made his home there. His son Egill Skallagrímsson then continued to live and farm at Borg á Mýrum. Today there is a monument to Egill at Borg.

three pieces of ancient clothing on display in a glass case with lights around the edges

The Vikings of Bjornstad

The National Museum of Iceland’s permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation - Heritage and History in Iceland, is intended to provide insight into the history of the Icelandic nation from the Settlement to the present day. Here you can explore Iceland's history and culture from the Settlement up until today, while going though over 2,000 authentic objects to inspire and give insight in how life has been in Iceland.

a group of people standing on top of a grass covered hillside

Tom Lovell

Warriors Illustration

LEIF ERICSSON â— The Christian Viking explorer

Leifur Eiríksson, the christian viking explorer, gathered with chieftains at the parliament Alþingi in the year 1000. The Icelanders debated whether to abandon the ancient Norse gods in favor of the cross of Christ. Iceland would become the only country to embrace Christianity as the result of a democratic vote of its people. Learn more about this matter at the National Museum of Iceland, http://www.sagatrail.is/en/museums/national-museum-iceland/

an old man with long white hair wearing a black hat and beaded necklace on his neck

Gathered necklines for Viking garb at the Saga Museum

The Saga Museum intimately recreates key moments in Icelandic history, moments that have determined the fate of our people and which give a compelling view into how Icelanders have lived for more than a millennium. Here is the Völva, a female shaman. Note the gathered neckline and the shape of the apron dress. At the Saga Museum the various Viking Age/Settlement stories and histories are explored through life-like wax figure scenes. http://www.sagatrail.is/en/museums/saga-museum/

a wooden boat sitting on top of a body of water

Viking families traveled together, research shows

A new study from the University of Oslo shows that when the vikings moved to new territories, men and women traveled together. The medieval Norsemen or Vikings had an important biological and cultural impact on many parts of Europe through raids, colonization and trade, from about AD 793 to 1066. You can learn more about this period in Iceland at our many museums. See the museum guide here http://safnabokin.is/

Beautiful brooches on the shoulders of this female figure at the Saga Museum in Reykjavik, Iceland. Here various stories and history from the Viking Age/Settlement are explored through wax figure scenes. Visitors are guided through the museum´s many attractions as well as through a chronological history of Iceland with audio guidance in 5 different languages. Visitors can learn about Icelandic history in a way that is both educational and fun. http://www.sagatrail.is/en/museums/saga-museum/ Viking Writing, Scandinavian History, Viking Jewellery, Viking Men, Early Medieval

Viking round brooches at the Saga Museum

Beautiful brooches on the shoulders of this female figure at the Saga Museum in Reykjavik, Iceland. Here various stories and history from the Viking Age/Settlement are explored through wax figure scenes. Visitors are guided through the museum´s many attractions as well as through a chronological history of Iceland with audio guidance in 5 different languages. Visitors can learn about Icelandic history in a way that is both educational and fun. http://www.sagatrail.is/en/museums/saga-museum/

Garðar Svavarsson - Wikipedia

Garðarr Svavarsson is considered by many to be the first Scandinavian to live in Iceland, although he is said to have stayed only for one winter. He married a woman from the Hebrides. During the voyage to these isles (in the 860) he sailed into a storm at Pentland Firth. This storm pushed his ship far to the north until he reached the eastern coast of Iceland. He circumnavigated the island, becoming the first known person to do so and thus establishing that the landmass was an island.

Facial Reconstruction

Foyer Furniture

Saga museum in Iceland -female costume

At the Saga Museum the various Viking Age/Settlement stories and histories are explored through wax figure scenes. Here is a mother figure wearing a folded apron dress held with roach shaped brooches at the Saga Museum in Reykjavík, Iceland. Come and meet her in Reykjavík. http://www.sagatrail.is/en/museums/saga-museum/

an older man standing in front of a rock wall with trees on the other side

Secret by Þórir - Cave in Hjörleifshöfði

The best local secrets by Inspired by Iceland. Þórir knows a special place in Hjörleifshöfði: Secret Graves and Secret Caves. Hjörleifshöfði (Hjörleifur’s Headland) is named after Iceland’s first settler Ingólfur Arnarson’s foster-brother. Ingólfur was out of luck and was killed by his slaves within a year from settling down. His grave lies on top of the headland. The promontory was actually once an island, but became attached to the mainland during the period of Settlement.

a brown horse standing on top of a snow covered field next to a wire fence

The Icelandic horse breed has now been bred pure in Iceland for more than 1,000 years, since early settlement of Iceland. It's the only breed of horse in Iceland and the breed is kept clean in Iceland, as exported horses can't go back to Iceland, and strict import laws to protect the breed. Photo by elissarphoto.

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Landnámssetur Íslands | Settlement Center

Borgarnes Settlement Centre tells you the story of how the Vikings came to Iceland. You are in for a multi-media experience with theatrical techniques to help you experience the trepidation and excitement of setting off over the open ocean for lands unknown. Audio guides take you on a voyage of discovery and are available in 14 languages; Icelandic, English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, German, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Dutch. http://english.landnam.is/

City Museum

The Exhibition

Heritage Site

The Settlement Exhibition | Reykjavík City Museum

The Reykjavik ciy museum '871± 2' deals with the settlement of Reykjavik. The exhibition is based on scholars´ theories on what the heritage sites in central Reykjavik can tell us about the life and work of the first settlers. The focus of the exhibition is the remains of a hall from the Settlement Age which was excavated in 2001. The hall was inhabited from 930-1000. http://www.reykjavik871.is/

a wooden carving of a man holding a hammer

Borgarbyggð travel - Lonely Planet

Carving depicting Thorolf SkallagrÃmsson, a character from Egilâs Saga at the Settlement Centre, Borgarnes, Iceland. The museum offers two award-winning exhibitions about the Settlement period of Iceland, where both children and adults will have a good time. http://english.landnam.is/