Hólar, Iceland is a small little town in the northern part of the country that has so much history and drama within its walls. No stories are probably more dramatic than that of Bishop Jón Arason, the last Catholic Bishop of Iceland.
Jón Arason
At 27 meters high, the tall white clock tower adjacent to the church was built by Sigurður Guðmundsson in 1950. It was erected as a memorial to the Icelandic Bishop Jón Arason and his two sons who had died 400 years earlier. Jón Arason was the last catholic bishop of Hólar. He was born in 1484 in Gryta, Iceland. By 1504, Arason had been ordained as a Catholic priest. He was known for being well-educated and talented, though he did not always adhere to Catholic rule. Over the years, he fathered multiple children.
In 1548, the Reformation was shaking western Europe. Arason and fellow Bishop Ögmundur opposed their King, Danish King Christian III, who was trying to convert the national religion from Catholicism to Lutheranism. Arason was supported by Pope Paul III, and started an informal civil war between the Catholics and Lutherans on Iceland. His children literally fought alongside him.
In 1550, during the Battle of Sauðafell, Arason brought 100 men and took over the town of Sauðafell that was under the rulership of Daði Guðmundsson, his major opponent in the Catholicism versus Lutheranism clash. Soon after, Guðmundsson surprised Arason in the early morning with a similar size army, but one substantially more heavily armored. Arason surrendered. On November 7, 1550, Jón Arason and two of his sons were executed by beheading. It is said that when he was killed, the bell within the Hólar Cathedral started to ring on its own, and it rang so hard that it cracked. Jón Arason’s remains are stored within the tower walls.
See Also…
There is so much history within Hólar. Besides the statue and bell tower dedicated to Jón Arason, visitors can see the Hólar Cathedral, the Auðunnarstofa (Hólar Bishop’s Office), Nýibær (New Farm), and the statue dedicated to Iceland’s national saint, Guðmundur Arason.
Where is it Located?
The statue and bell tower dedicated to Jón Arason is located in the town of Hólar, Iceland, approximately 1 hour 30 minute drive from Akureyri.