Situated in northern Iceland about an hour and a half drive west of Akureyri, is the old “capital of the north”, Hólar, Iceland. This tiny town, which today has a population of about 100 people, was once the religious center of Iceland and served as its northern capital for over 700 years. Today, to those curious travelers, it serves as a window into the past and there is so much to see.
Hólar, Iceland
Located within the Hjaltadalur valley, the modest town of Hólar, Iceland seems a small thing dwarfed by some of Iceland’s most majestic mountains. However, its history is anything but modest. Since the 1050 AD, a church has resided within the settlement of Hólar. In 1106, a bishopric and cathedral school was founded here under Bishop Jón Ögmundsson to serve as the religious center for northern Iceland. In the 12th century, a seminary was founded further reinforcing Hólar’s religious importance. After the Reformation in 1550, the cathedral school was converted into a Latin school.
The seminary at Hólar served as an active teaching school until the two Icelandic bishoprics were joined into one in 1801 as the Diocese of Iceland serving under the Bishop of Iceland. The bishopric here in Hólar closed down as merged bishopric was now located within Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. A bishopric was re-established in 1909 as a suffragan bishopric for the Bishop of Iceland within the Church of Iceland, and in 1986, it became one of the two official suffragan bishopric seats.
In 1882, the Hólaskóli school, or Hólar Agricultural College was established. In 2007, it was renamed as Hólar University College and is a leading school of agriculture. It is the university that houses and runs the local department of tourism, providing visitors with access to view some of the wonderful history here. They also maintain the turf houses, the Nýibær, which translates as “new farm”.
Archaeology
There has been ongoing archaeological research conducted at Hólar for the past several years. Over 40,000 artifacts have been found. You can see some of them displayed at the old schoolhouse.
Woods
Trees are a rare commodity in Iceland, and we were astonished to find a thriving small area of woods here. Hólar Forest, or the Hólar Woods, offer a variety of hiking trails for those that want to see something different.
See Also…
There is so much history within this little town. Visitors can see the Hólar Cathedral, the statue and bell tower dedicated to Jón Arason, the Auðunnarstofa (Hólar Bishop’s Office), Nýibær (New Farm), and the statue dedicated to Iceland’s national saint, Guðmundur Arason.
Where is it Located?
Hólar, Iceland is located on road 767 in northern Iceland. It is approximately 1 hour 30 minute drive from Akureyri.