A Viking ship with its own Atlantic crossing and a restored house that illustrates a former way of life offer two different cultural and historical perspectives in Njarðvík. Víkingaheimar places the Íslendingur at its center; Stekkjarkot represents a type of house that was once widespread on the Reykjanes Peninsula and in other coastal areas of Iceland. In Innri-Njarðvík, a museum house and a church with their own architectural history add to the picture. Your choice therefore depends on whether you are more interested in seafaring, housing or religious architecture.

A Viking ship with its own story of a voyage

Víkingaheimar is located in Njarðvík and is designed around the Íslendingur. The ship is a full-size replica of the famous Gokstad ship. The Íslendingur also has its own story of a voyage: in 2000, it sailed from Iceland to New York, covering 4,200 nautical miles. The original ship and the crossing offer two different ways to understand the exhibit. The Gokstad ship is the model for the replica; the voyage to New York is part of the Íslendingur’s own story. The distance adds another specific detail to the destination and year of the voyage.

Stekkjarkot: Building methods and living conditions

Stekkjarkot is a classic example of the roughly built turf, stone and timber houses that were once widespread on the Reykjanes Peninsula and in other coastal areas of Iceland. After its restoration, the house gives a vivid impression of what houses of this type looked like. Stekkjarkot was a so-called þurrabúð: its residents were not allowed to keep livestock such as cows or sheep and were therefore entirely dependent on the sea. The classification as a þurrabúð thus connects the building method with a specific living condition; the history of the house encompasses both its materials and its residents’ way of life.

Church and house in Innri-Njarðvík

The architectural history of Innri-Njarðvík can also be traced through specific details. The church there was consecrated in 1886. Innri-Njarðvík Church is built of dressed stones brought from the nearby shore and from the heath above the inhabited area. The description therefore connects the building method with the origin of the materials: the church’s construction involved both the dressed stones and the two locations from which they were sourced. One of the three clocks in the church tower dates from 1725. The house at Njarðvíkurbraut 42 was built in 1906. The years refer to different details: 1725 to the clock, 1886 to the consecration and 1906 to the construction of the house.

Planning your visits

Different conditions apply to visits. Stekkjarkot can be visited by request; the phone number given for bookings is 865 6160. The museum house in Innri-Njarðvík is accessible only by prior appointment. If you plan a visit to either place, be sure to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

Discover more destinations: Kálfatjörn, Vogar, Gardur, Sandgerði, Grindavík, Hafnir, Reykjanesbær

Return to the main travel overview: Suðurnes.