Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Housed in an imaginatively restored warehouse by the harbour, the must-see Settlement
Centre offers fascinating insights into the history of Icelandic settlement and the Saga era.
The museum is divided into two exhibitions, each take about 30 minutes to visit. The Set-
tlement Exhibition covers the discovery and settlement of Iceland. Egil's Saga Exhibition
recounts the amazing adventures of Egil Skallagrímsson (the man behind
Egil's Saga)
and
his family. A detailed multilingual audio guide is included.
This is not your run-of-the-mill Icelandic folk museum: the Settlement Centre offers
deep background into Iceland's history and flora and fauna, and a firm context in which to
place your Icelandic visit. And
Egil's Saga
is one of the most nuanced and action packed
of the sagas. The centre has placed
cairns
throughout town marking key sites from
Egil's
Saga
. It also has a top-notch restaurant.
Borgarfjördur Museum
MUSEUM
Ikr900/600; 1-5pm Jun-Aug, reduced hours Sep-May)
This small municipal museum has an engaging exhibit on the story of children in Iceland
over the last 100 years. It's told through myriad photographs and found items, and though
it's accompanied by English translations, don't be shy about having museum staff show
you through. The story behind each photograph is captivating; you'll be thinking about
this exhibit long after you've left.
Borg á Mýrum
LANDMARK
The farm, Borg á Mýrum, just northwest of Borgarnes on Rte 54, is the site where Skallag-
rímur Kveldúlfsson, Egil's father, made his farm at Settlement. Named for the large
rock
(borg)
behind the farmstead (private property), you can walk up to the
cairn
for views all
around. You can also visit the small
cemetery
which includes an ancient gravestone
marked by runes.
The large abstract sculpture by Ásmundur Sveinsson represents a part of Egil's Saga,
when he mourned the death of his sons and was rejuvenated by composing a poem.
Brákin
LANDMARK
