Gamli bærinn Laufás
An old turf farmhouse and former rectory by Eyjafjörður, furnished as around 1900, with a visitor centre and a church from 1865.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Laufás by Eyjafjörður has been settled since the earliest times after the settlement of Iceland, and a church has stood there since the beginning of Christianity. In the Catholic period it was dedicated to the apostle Peter. There has been a rectory at Laufás since the earliest times; the last priest who lived in the old farmhouse moved to a new rectory in 1936, but priests lived on the site until 2000.
The oldest part of the old farmhouse is believed to contain timber from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the time of Reverend Björn Halldórsson, who served there from 1853 to 1882, the farm was rebuilt on a large scale. It is a simple turf house, typical of Icelandic building of its time but much larger; often 20 to 30 people lived there, including many farm workers. It is now furnished with furniture and tools resembling those used around 1900. The Þjóðminjasafn Íslands (National Museum of Iceland) owns the old farmhouse, and the Minjasafnið á Akureyri (Akureyri Heritage Museum) runs it.
The church standing today was built in 1865 and contains a pulpit from 1698. By its east gable stands one of the oldest rowan trees in the country, planted in 1855. Since summer 2014 a visitor centre has operated in the old rectory, offering coffee and light refreshments, a book corner and a shop selling local handicrafts.
Highlights
- Large turf farmhouse furnished as around 1900
- Church from 1865 with a pulpit from 1698
- One of the oldest rowan trees in the country, planted in 1855
- Visitor centre with coffee, a book corner and a handicraft shop
Permanent exhibition
- Gamli bærinn Laufás – The turf farmhouse is furnished with furniture and tools from around 1900 and shows life at a large rectory in the 19th century.
- Operated by
- Minjasafnið á Akureyri (í eigu Þjóðminjasafns Íslands)
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Visitor centre in the old rectory with coffee and light refreshments, a book corner and a shop selling local handicrafts and souvenirs.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
