Few walking tours focus on the Viking history of Reykjavik. Created by an archaeologist who studied Norse history in Iceland, this self-guided itinerary includes the essential sites and museums in the immediate Reykjavik area. As well as the statues of some of the more illustrious and legendary historical personae. The tour provides an extensive introduction to the Viking period of the city through archaeology and the Icelandic Sagas. The itinerary is flexible enough for each to include further relevant sites an other places of interest.
- Ricky Menzies
- Last Checked and/or Updated 26 August 2025
- History Walks, Self Guided Tours & Itineraries, Norsemen & Vikings, Iceland
Iceland was settled by Vikings. That is a well established fact. We know this from both the archaeological record and historical accounts. The majority of the protagonists in the Sagas of Icelanders trace their lineage back to the person who took lands in Iceland, tying them to the country by birth right. Íslendingabók or the Book of Settlements outlines the foundations of the country and names those responsible. Over one thousand years later these names are commemorated in bronze as statues around Reykjavik.
Few tours of the city focus solely on its Viking history. That is probably because, although this period is an integral part of the country´s foundations, it is still only a small part of a much larger story. Time and time again, however, artists and sculptors have revisited this fascinating period and allowed it to inspire their artistic expression. Today, these statues not only allow us to reflect on the artist, but also Iceland’s Viking past, each each one tells a part of that story.
After a year living and studying in Reykjavik, I have curated a self-guided tour of Reykjavik with a focus on the Viking Age. While statues are the focal point, museums, other landmarks and points of interest that relate to Iceland’s Viking heritage are also included to give a more rounded experience of the period. My suggested itinerary comprises 13 stops that are grouped into three parts, intended to be spread over three days (we have provided an interactive map for each day). Following this itinerary will enable you to visit different parts of the city at a pace of your choosing, and to add other attractions and activities according to your own interests. You can of course make a selection of your own, and create your own itinerary – see the section towards the end to use our Itinerary Builder to curate your route. To see and use our interactive maps, requires an account with Archaeology Travel and to be logged in (login or register).
But first a note on museum entries & the Reykjavik City Card: the statues are all in spaces that are free to access, such as public squares and parks. The museums I have included do charge entry fees. Depending on the specifics of your visit to Reykjavik, it may be beneficial to buy a Reykjavik City Card. If you only use the card to visit the sites included on this itinerary over three days, a 72-hour card will not save you money on entries.
There are, however, more benefits to the card than entry to these museums, including free use of public transport, entry to geothermal pools, as welll as free and discounted entry to many other museums and attractions. For example, if you use public transport during the three days, it will be worth our while to purchase a city card. Read our Tips on Making the Most of the Reykjavik City Card to work out whether or not it will benefit you.
Day One
The first day of this self guided walking tour is centred on downtown Reykjavik, with the places included providing an introduction to the Vikings in the city. You will visit some of the best Viking related museums and statues on a walk that should not take more than 30 minutes; how long you spend at each point of interest is up to you. You start at the Saga Museum in Reykjavik’s harbour before heading into the centre of the city to see the Settlement Exhibition. The itinerary finishes at the Sun Voyager sculpture, with its magnificent view across the bay to the Esjan Mountain.
Stop 1 - Saga Museum
For those who don’t know much about the settlement story of Iceland and its connection to the Vikings, the Saga Museum is the best place to start (holders of the Reykjavik City Card get discounted entry). The museum can be found at the Reykjavik harbour, marked with a wonderful statue of a Viking mounted on an Icelandic horse wielding a sword and shield. This statue represents all Viking warriors and represents no one in particular. The fierceness of this statue, however, says more than words ever could about the Viking history of Iceland.
Briefly, this exhibition is made up of a series of dioramas that traces the path through the most important events in Iceland’s history. Beginning with the geological formation of the land, the exhibition moves onto the settlement story of Iceland and then through the Saga Age. Some of the Sagas of Icelander’s most famous characters show up in dramatic scenes. The audio tour, available in seven languages, weaves a cohesive and interesting narrative that will lay the groundwork for your understanding of Iceland’s history. For this reason, I think anyone interested in the island’s Viking past should begin their own journey here. You can read a more detailed account of my visit to the Saga Museum.
To get the most out of this museum and the rest of the sites I include on the tour, I recommend you read at least some of the Sagas of Icelanders. This book is, I believe, the best English translation of many of the more popular sagas. They are translated by some of the top scholars in the field of Viking history.
Stop 2 - Ingólfr Square
Located directly in front of the Centre Hotel Plaza in the middle of Downtown Reykjavik, Ingólfr Square is where most guided tours of Reykjavik begin. From the Saga Museum, it is about a 20 minute walk. The square and its monuments are named after the first official permanent settler of Iceland: Ingólfr Arnarson. If you started at the Saga Museum, this name will be familiar to you, so you can appreciate his importance.
There are two engraved basalt seat pillars on the square that read: “Ingólfur saw Iceland, he threw his high-seat posts overboard for good luck. He declared that he would establish himself at the place where the beam came to land” From the Book of Settlements.
This story is repeated as a motif over and over again in many other sagas. For example, in Egil’s Saga where Egil’s father, Skallagrim, throws a coffin containing his own dead father overboard, promising to claim the land on which the coffin washed ashore. In Eyrbyggja Saga, Þórólfur Mostrarskegg casts two high-seat pillars carved in the image of the god Thor into the sea and claims that he will build a temple to Thor wherever they land.
Ingólfr’s pillars came to shore in Reykjavik, where he chose to settle. In Icelandic, Reykjavik translates to “Smokey bay” referring to the natural steam that ejects from the area due to geothermal activity beneath. The two pillars are attached to a geothermal vent below, which is what the metal tubing on the columns are for. They expel steam and if you listen carefully you can hear a hiss.
Stop 3 - Settlement Exhibition 871±2 - Glass Cabinet Window & Museum
From Ingólfr Square it is a 5 minute walk to the next site on this itinerary, the Settlement Exhibition. There are two parts to this stop: a free one and a paid one (free entry with a Reykjavik City Card). For those who may not have time to visit the entire exhibition (although it has my highest recommendation), you can take a peek of one of the oldest buildings in Reykjavik from a sky-window built into the street that allows you to look down onto the archaeological site below. This window is located directly outside the Hotel Reykjavik entrance. To find the entrance of the Settlement Exhibition, you just have to go around the corner.
The Settlement Exhibition is built around the remains of the oldest evidence of habitation in Reykjavik. A turf house dated to the Viking Age was found and excavated during the construction of the hotel that is now directly above it. Preserved along with this turf house is one of the oldest structures ever found in Iceland. This is a small boundary turf wall that dates to before the ‘settlement layer’ of tephra that corresponds to what is usually attributed to the oldest activity found in Iceland. Along with these structures, the Settlement Exhibition displays a number of Viking Age artifacts, including everyday tools, toys, and even some of the oldest runic inscriptions found in Iceland. Look out for the wooden stick with runic inscriptions on it – it was excavated from a Viking Age archaeological site on the Island of Viðey – Stop 10 on this tour.
Stop 4 - Ingólfr Arnarson Statue
With an understanding of the archaeology of the Viking settlement of Iceland, it’s time to meet the man who settled Reykjavik. From the Settlement Exhibition take an 8 minute walk to Arnarhóll hill, where you will not only get a fantastic view of the Harpa Concert Hall, but also find the statue of Ingólfr Arnarson. On a nice day, this is a good spot for a picnic. The hill isn’t particularly big, but it does give a great view of the city. The reason I have lead you here though is to admire the statue of the settler of Reykjavik.
The statue was created by Icelandic artist Einar Jonsson. Remember this artist’s name, because a number of the statues included on this tour were made by him. Einar Jonsson also happens to be my favourite Icelandic artist. Einar was inspired by the folklore, mythology and the history of Iceland, including the Sagas. One of his most important works stands on this hill, and has become a symbol for the City of Reykjavik.
As I have already mentioned, according to Ari Þorgilsson, the writer of The Book of Settlements, (or Íslendingabók), Ingólfr was the first of the Nordic settlers in Iceland. He also mentions, however, that Irish monks lived on the island first, but moved away because they did not want to live among heathens. Ingólfr was not the first to discover Iceland. This glory goes to Naddodd, Garðar Svavarsson, and Hrafna-Flóki, although some sources even credit Pytheas, a Greek explorer in 325 BC as the first to spot the landmass. But it was Ingólfr, his wife Hallveig Fróðadóttir and foster brother Hjörleifr Hróðmarsson who first made Iceland their home. Hjǫrleifr was later murdered by his Irish and Scottish slaves. Ingólfr tracked these slaves down to the Westman islands to take his revenge. This is how the Westman islands got their name, after what the Norse called the Irish, “West men”.
Not much is known about Ingólfr after these events, but it is thought that his son Þorsteinn Ingolfsson was the founder of the first ever ‘Thing’ assembly in Iceland.
Stop 5 - The Sun Voyager
The final stop is the iconic Sun Voyager sculpture, around a 10 minute walk from Arnarhóll. It should be fairly obvious why this monument would be on a list of landmarks to visit for Viking enthusiasts.
Crafted in the shape of a classic Viking longship using stainless steel, and placed facing out to sea, the Sun Voyager is the work of Icelandic sculptor Jón Gunnar Árnason. Árnason described it as “an ode to the sun” and a promise to the undiscovered. The sculpture pays homage to the Viking explorers that settled Iceland over a thousand years ago and is a symbol of the freedom to travel and explore the world.
Ships have played a significant role in human history since their invention. We find numerous depictions of ships in prehistoric rock art. A stone ship setting was used in burials and ship cremations by many different people at different times. Ships were also one of the most important pieces of technology to be invented. To the Norse, the ship was a means of expansion, exploration and escape. They developed and improved their ships to be faster, more versatile and to sail further. These vessels provided a means of trade, warfare and communication. The importance of the ship to the Norse can not be overstated. In fact, if there was one symbol that fully captures the Viking spirit, it would not be Thor’s hammer, the round shield, or even runes. It would be the longship. Without them, Iceland could never have been discovered. Reykjavik’s iconic statue embodies this significance and history, and provides an appropriate place to end the first day of this itinerary.
Day Two
Stop 6 - Leif Eriksson Statue
The second part of the itinerary begins at the highest point in the city – Skólavörðuholt – just outside of one of Iceland’s most iconic buildings: Hallgrímskirkja. But for now, it is not the church we are interested in, as impressive as it is, and by all means explore it further. You are here for the magnificent statue of Leif Eriksson that stands proudly at the entrance to the church.
Leif Eriksson is the well known historic Icelander who, according to the Vinland Sagas: The Sagas of Greenlanders, and the Saga of Erik the Red, is said to have discovered North America. His father, Erik the Red, was the first Norse settler of Greenland. His wife is said to have built the first church on the North American continent at the settlement of Brattahlid at Qassiarsuk.
According to the Saga of Erik the Red, Leif the Lucky, as he was also known, discovered North America after being blown off course on his way to Greenland from Norway. He was on a mission to introduce Christianity to the settlements there. After landing on what is now Newfoundland, Leif and his crew explored some of the island, finding wild grapes. This is the reason Leif named the island ‘Vinland’. Fascinatingly, Vinland was not the only island discovered by them. In the Saga of Greenlanders other lands are named, including Markland and Helluland. Markland is generally accepted to be the forested areas of Labrador on the mainland of Canada, while Helluland is considered to be Baffin Island and was named as such for its flat rocks.
The Saga of Greenlanders offers a different account to that in the Saga of Erik the Red. That Saga suggests that it was in fact Bjarni Herjólfsson who first spotted Vinland, but he and his crew did not disembark. Instead, they sailed around the island, around what we now call Newfoundland, before turning back and heading to Greenland. It was 15 years later that Leif made his voyage to the fabled promise-land in the east and actually stepped foot on it. Also, it is claimed in this Saga that Leif built a settlement in Vinland, but archaeological remains of this have never been found. It was on his way back from Vinland to Greenland that Leif and his crew rescued an Icelandic castaway at sea, earning Leif his nickname ‘The Lucky’. Leif never returned to Vinland, rather the island’s story of discovery continues with Þorfinnur Karlsefni, who you will encounter later in this tour.
Leif’s statue was created by American sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder. It was given to the people of Iceland in 1930 to mark the 1000th anniversary of the establishment of the Althing in Iceland. An interesting fact about the statue is that it took two years for the statue to be erected in its current position as there was no crane in Iceland capable of lifting the heavy artwork. The pedestal the statue stands on is in the form of the prow of a Viking ship. Carved from granite, it carries an inscription celebrating the gift of the statue from America to Iceland.
Before moving on to the next stop, take note of the names of the streets and businesses in the immediate area. This area surrounding Leif’s statue is referred to as ‘the Neighbourhood of the Gods’. This is because the names of Norse gods and other mythological figures, such as Odin, Thor, Loki and Freyja, are reflected all around.
Stop 7 - Thor wrestling with Age Statue
Less than 50 m to the west of the Leif Eriksson statue is the Einar Jonsson Museum; you can not miss its striking architecture. At the statue of Ingólfr Arnarson (Day One, Stop 4), I suggested you remember the name of the artist – Einar Jonsson. The museum you are looking at houses one of the largest collections of his work. Our next stop is to the rear of the museum, where you will find a sculpture park, Höggmyndagarðurinn. While the museum charges an entry fee (holders of a Reykjavik City Card get discounted entry to the museum), the sculpture park is free for all to enjoy and can be entered from Njarðargata (gata is Icelandic for street, and Njarðar, or Njörður is the Norse god of the sea).
There are two sculptures inspired by Norse mythology I particularly want draw to your attention; although I encourage you to look around the whole park. The first piece is called Thor Wrestles with Age and is inspired by one of the stories in the Prose Edda, in the part entitled Gylfaginning, or The Beguiling of Gylfi. This is the story of Thor and Útgarða-Loki. [As an aside, it was by translating this fine Norse mythological tale during the first year of my Master’s course at the University of Iceland that I learned how to read Old Norse].
For those who have not read the Prose Edda, this particular section recounts a journey Thor, Loki and his two child-servants (who he acquired after the little boy broke Thor’s goat) went on to Útgarða-Loki’s castle in Jötunheimr. After reaching the stronghold, the companions are challenged by Útgarða-Loki to games of wit, speed, hunger and strength. One of the challenges the taunting Útgarða-Loki sets for Thor is to wrestle with an old hag named Elli. Elli in Old Norse means ‘old age’. Thor, known for his slow wit, didn’t realise he was engaging in a battle with literal age. While Elli does not fully defeat Thor, she does wrestle him down to one knee.
With this very brief account in mind, looking at the statue you really can see the thought that went into interpreting and representing this scene. It was not merely a hag that Thor wrestled with, but the souls that age has claimed. It is a haunting and gruesome depiction of this scene. One that becomes increasingly more chilling the more time you spend with it, adding to its genius. Another interpretation suggests the haunting faces underneath Elli are the many different ages of Thor throughout his existence.
For those interested in reading the complete Prose Edda I recommend Anthony Faulkes’ version, which is widely regarded as one the best English translations.
Stop 8 - Ymir and Auðumbla Statue
The second statue in this sculpture garden that I think you should not miss is also inspired by the Prose Edda. The tale of the beginning of the universe is featured in Gylfaginning, when the three high gods tell the character king Gylfi of what existed before the world as he knows it.
As the story goes, before the gods and the nine worlds, there was a primordial Jötunn (a Jötunn, plural Jötnar, is a member of a race of beings who are the oldest inhabitants of the cosmos) named Ymir – he was the ancestor of the Jötnar. He was in fact the first ancestor, born from venom that dripped into an icy river. He lived in a void called the Ginnungagap and gave birth to a male and female being from his armpits. Later Oðin, Vili and Vé killed Ymir and used his body to create the goddess Jörð, who would become the earth.
To understand Einar’s statue depicting Ymir suckling a cow, I strongly recommend you read the relevant section in the Prose Edda. This is truly a mythological acid trip, which in my opinion is not too dissimilar to what it is like to read the ancient poems Works and Days and Theogony by the Greek poet Hesiod. Paragraph 6 of Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda reads, “The next thing, when the rime dripped, was there came into being from it a cow called Auðumbla, and four rivers of milk flowed from it´s teats and it fed Ymir”. According to the gods, then, the primordial cow Auðumbla lactated four rivers of milk from her teats, feeding herself by licking the salt from a rock, while Ymir fed on her milk. Auðumbla licked the stone for so long it released the primordial god Búri. Oðin, Vili and Vé would later be born from this lineage, and so the Norse gods were created.
With this context in mind, the depiction of Ymir seems slightly less strange. Of course, those with a familiarity with mythology might recognise the Capitoline Wolf statue depicting Romulus and Remus suckling a wolf, and perhaps could draw some comparisons. Although for some, it may seem less disturbing for two babies to be fed by a wolf, than a fully grown man suckling a fully grown cow. But that’s what Einar Jonsson does: he takes scenes from mythology and makes them lucid, vivid and sometimes uncomfortable to look at.
Bonus Stop - Einar Jonsson’s Museum
If you enjoyed the sculpture park, or just want to see more Norse mythology cast in bronze and plaster by Einar, take the time now to see more of his work inside the museum (a Reykjavik City Card will get you discounted entry). Look for Dawn, also drawn from an Icelandic folktale, a depiction of a night troll who has kidnapped a woman just before Christmas.
On Christmas Eve a troll stumbles upon an isolated farm where a girl is alone – the others are at church. The troll tries to lure the girl out of the farmhouse to kidnap her. They engage in a battle of wits through poetry. The troll looses track of time and dawn arrives, turning him to stone. If that story sounds familiar it is because this is the basis for some of the hijinks that plays out in J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit.
This statue reminds me of the Rape of Proserpina, a Baroque marble sculpture by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini now in the Galleria Borghese, Rome. Although quite different in composition, in his original casting of Dawn, Einar depicts the troll gripping the girl with such force and detail I was immediately reminded of Bernini’s depiction of Pluto’s grip on Persephone. There is, however, no record of Einar being directly influenced by Bernini’s sculpture – I think the likeness between the two is striking.
If you do go in, also look out for the plaster sculpture of the Þorfinnur Karlsefni. The bronze casting of this statue is next up on this tour of Reykjavik.
Stop 9 - Þorfinnur karlsefni
To get to the Island of Viðey (Stop 10) you will need to take a bus and a ferry. On the way, is another important character from the Vinland Sagas: The statue of Þorfinnur Karlsefni. To get there, take the number 14 bus in the direction of Verzló (official timetable) from outside Bíó Paradís (a movie theatre), which is roughly a 7 minute walk from the Einar Jonsson museum. Get of at Hrafnista, the 9th stop (about 12 minutes from the cinema). And from there it is a 3 minute walk to the statue.
Manga and Anime fans may recognise the name Þorfinn from The Vinland Saga series. This is indeed the historical Þorfinn that the character was based on. However, the historical accounts of Þorfinnur differ greatly from the story told in the Manga and Anime. Þorfinn is a central character in the Saga of Greenlanders and Saga of Erik the Red. He was born in the late 10th century, approximately 980 AD. Although you would assume that the Saga of Erik the Red would be about …, well Erik the Red, in fact, it is Þorfinn who takes the limelight for much of the story.
Significantly, Þorfinn married Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir – the widow of Erik the Red’s son, Þorstein Eiriksson. Guðríður would later become the first mother of a European born in North America, and Þorfinn the father. The child was named Snorri Þorfinnsson. Guðríður is also known as Guðríður the Far-Traveller for her many expeditions that led her to travel as far from Iceland to Vinland in the west and Rome in the east.
What Þorfinn is most known for though, is his expedition following in Leif Eriksson’s footsteps to Vinland. According to the Saga of Greenlanders, it was Guðríður’s idea to voyage from Greenland to Vinland to settle the island. The saga records that Þorfinn left Greenland with 60 men and five women and followed the route provided by Leif Eriksson.
This Þorfinn Karlsefni statue is another of Einar Jonsson’s works, but it is the second casting. The first was installed in Philadelphia, USA before it was ruined by vandals in 2018. Apparently, it is currently being restored. The plaster original for this sculpture is on display in the Einar Jonsson Museum.
Stop 10 - Isle of Viðey
End the day with a quick 5-minute ferry trip to the Island of Viðey to see the archaeological remains of a Viking Age longhouse, dating to around 900 AD. The longhouse was unearthed along with a runic inscription carved onto a wooden stick (now on display at the Settlement Exhibition).
The Viðey ferry terminal (marked on our interactive map) is about a 25 minute walk from the Þorfinnur karlsefni statue. A return ferry fare is included in the Reykjavik City Card, or you can buy a ticket at the terminal. The ferry leaves and returns regularly throughout the day, although at reduced hours during the winter. The time of the last return to the mainland is 18h30. There is plenty of time to include a trip to the island: the tour of the statues should not take more than 2 hours, with another 2 hours at the most if you include a visit of the Enínar Jonsson Museum. We have an article with more information about visiting Viðey Island, and whether it is worth it, especially in the winter.
The archaeological site is located not far from Viðey house. Impressions can be seen on the surface where the turfhouse stood. Later, several other buildings were added on top of the longhouse, including a monastery in the 12th century, complicating the site.
I recommend Viðey Island as the final stop for Day Two of this tour not just for the archaeology, but also for the exquisite views of the sea, the mountains and nature of Iceland. This little spit of land is the closest place to Reykjavik where you can take in the landscape that the Viking settlers called home. Although not far from Reykjavik, stepping onto Viðey is like taking a step back from a painting you’ve just finished to really take in the wider picture.
Day Three
On the final day you will see one last statue, as well as the nearby National Museum of Iceland and the Manuscript Exhibition.
Stop 11 - Outlaws Statue
The tour starts just outside the beautiful Hólavallagarður cemetery. This is a worthwhile visit in itself for a calming walk between the graves of famous Icelanders. Opened in 1838, it is the second oldest cemetery in Reykjavik. I have fond memories of coming here to eat my lunch between classes, sitting next to Geir T. Zoëga’s grave, author of the Old Icelandic dictionary, which is still used by students of Old Norse to this day. For the hardcore Viking enthusiasts, I challenge you to go find it and pay your respects.
Today though, our focus starts at the statue called Outlaws, located on a small patch of green between the cemetery and Suðugata road. The statue is partially obscured by trees so keep an eye out. The statue is a 20 minute walk from the centre of Reykjavik, along the beautiful Tjörnin pond with its sculpture park. As you walk by, you may notice the statue of a mermaid named Nína Sæmundsdóttir in the water. Near her is a statue called The Spell Broken, another work by Einar Jonsson clearly inspired by folktales. Many see a likeness to representations of Saint George slaying the Dragon .
Outlaws is one of Einar´s most famous sculptures, and just so happens to be one of his earliest. Like much of his work, it was inspired by Icelandic folktales and the Sagas. One of the laws that characterises the Viking Age, and most prominently in Iceland, is the punishment of Outlawry. The sentence of which is implemented in two ways: lesser outlawry and full outlawry.
To be outlawed was to be banished from society and lose all protection of society’s laws. The main threat faced by outlaws was being killed and the act not being considered murder. So no compensation would be due. The stipulation on becoming an outlaw was that you were required to leave Iceland. Those sentenced to lesser outlawry only had to leave for three years, while a full outlaw was exiled for life. However, not all outlaws actually left Iceland, and this often resulted in dire consequences.
There are many Sagas that focus on outlaws. My favourite being The Saga of Grettir the Strong. This Saga follows Grettir through his life as an outlaw and the lengths a man would have to go to to stay alive as an outlaw, while staying in his homeland. Another Saga about a famous outlaw is the Saga of Gísla Sursson who is forced to kill one of his brother-in-laws to avenge his other brother-in-law, which resulted in his outlawry. Both of these sagas are well worth reading for a better understanding of what life was like for an outlaw in medieval Iceland (I recommend this translation of Grettir’s Saga).
Einar’s statue is a dedication to these outlaws, crafted to show the emotional turmoil, fear and difficulty of being a man on the run. The story Einar Jonsson gave this statue is that the man is in the action of sneaking back into civilisation to bury his dead wife in hallowed ground. You can see the wife draped over his shoulder, as he carries his child in his arm. He has a dog at his side. The expression on his face is one of fear and vigilance, as he sneaks in at night hoping not to be seen.
Outlaw was the first of Einar’s sculptures to be publicly unveiled and was originally installed in Copenhagen in 1901. Although it received mixed reviews, it was a big hit with the Danes and Icelanders who could identify with its story and meaning.
From this statue, cross the road to get to the National Museum, the next stop.
Stop 12 - The National Museum
The National Museum of Iceland houses some of the most well known Viking artefacts. The most famous being the Eyrarland Statue of Thor found in the area of Akureyri. This tiny seated figure, only 6.7 cm high and made of bronze, could either depict Thor, Christ or both. It was discovered in 1815/1816 and is probably a gaming piece. Of the many Viking artefacts, most of which are found at the beginning, two of my favourites a wooden spade and a spindle whorl with runic inscriptions carved on them. The spindle whorl is in fact the oldest inscription in Iceland. See too the Hammer of Thor pendant, which looks like an upside down cross.
Stop 13 - The Manuscript Exhibition
The final stop on this tour of Viking Reykjavik is the recently opened Manuscript Exhibition. I have saved this attraction for last because of its importance to both the history of Iceland, and the history of the Vikings. By now it will be clear, if it was not before, that so much of what we know about the Vikings comes from the Icelandic Sagas. Even more of what we know about Norse mythology comes from the Poetic Edda and Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda. Both of which are now housed at the Árni Magnússon Institute and are on rotating display in the World in Words exhibition.
The Manuscript Exhibition is located in the Edda Building just across the road from the National Museum. The Edda Building is split between the Árni Magnússon Institute and the University of Iceland’s school Linguistics and Language. On rotating display are manuscripts that date as far back as the 12th century; the significance of each is presented in both English and Icelandic. Not only will you see a range of manuscripts, handwritten by medieval scribes, but you will also learn about the manuscript creation process. Read more about visiting the World in Words exhibition.
As the manuscripts are regularly rotated in and out for conservation reasons, if there is a particular manuscript you want to see, you will need to check the website to find out what is currently on display. For example, the crown jewel of Icelandic manuscripts, the Codex Regius, contains the Poetic Edda. This tiny manuscript has been on display but is at times taken down and replaced with a hologram of the book.
The Edda Building also has a café, where you can get yourself a light snack and reflect on the past three days.
Recommendations For Your Reykjavik Visit
Food Tour of Reykjavik
Reykjavik City Card
World War II Walking Tour
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Create Your Own Itineraries & Travel Lists for Reykjavik
The self-guided tour set out above is intended for those visitors to Reykjavik who want an introduction to the Viking period of Iceland. There are other places you can add to your visit as time permits. These include; Alþingishúsið – where the modern parliament is held, Hofsstaðir – located about an hour by bus in the neighbouring town of Garðabær, and the Elf Stone near Reykjavik’s domestic airport. Adding these to your itinerary will expose you to more Viking and Norse history in and around the area. For more sites in Reykjavik to include on your itinerary , see the interactive map in our Reykjavik City Guide.
For those who have access to private transport, I have also created another self-guided tour that takes you beyond Reykjavík to some of the best sites featured in the Sagas of Icelanders around Iceland.
In the following map, you can see all 13 stops in one map.
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