Glaumbær

Glaumbær is a historic estate in the Skagafjörður region of northern Iceland, near the town of Langholt. Today, it is home to the Skagafjörður Folk Museum, which showcases traditional Icelandic rural life.

The site has been inhabited since the early days of Icelandic history and is associated with notable figures from the time of the Viking expeditions to America, such as Þorfinnur Karlsefni and his wife, Guðríð Þorbjarnardóttir.

The first church is said to have been built there as early as the 11th century. In the Middle Ages, Glaumbær belonged to prominent farmers and chieftains, including Hrafn Jónsson and Teitur Þorleifsson.

The current church dates from 1926, but a shrine has stood on the site since Catholic times. The estate complex itself consists of thirteen buildings constructed from stone, turf, and wood, collectively forming the typical turf house. These structures were transferred under the museum’s administration in 1948, and have been open to the public since 1952.

Today, Glaumbær is one of the best-preserved examples of traditional Icelandic architecture and rural life from the 18th to the 19th century.