“Much of what we know about Thor, Odin and Ragnarok survives only because one 13th-century Icelander, Snorri Sturluson, wrote it all down here in Reykholt.”
About Reykholt
Snorri Sturluson lived at Reykholt at the height of his power in the early 1200s, writing the works that preserved Norse mythology and Scandinavian history for posterity. He was also a central, divisive figure in the violent politics of the age, and he was assassinated at Reykholt in 1241. His old bathing pool and the remains of his farm survive, alongside a modern medieval-studies centre and church.
Reykholt
Reykholt is a small historic settlement in west Iceland that was, in the 13th century, the home of Snorri Sturluson, the chieftain, politician and writer who is one of the most important figures in all of medieval literature. A modest place today, it carries an outsized weight in the story of how the Norse myths and sagas survived.
A modest place today, it carries an outsized weight in the story of how the Norse myths and sagas survived.
The Man Who Saved the Myths
Much of what the world knows about Norse mythology, of Odin, Thor, Loki and the end of the world at Ragnarok, survives because Snorri Sturluson wrote it down here. His works, including the Prose Edda and the Heimskringla history of Norwegian kings, preserved a vast body of myth and history that might otherwise have been lost. His geothermal bathing pool, Snorralaug, fed by a hot spring and connected to his house by a passage, still survives beside the modern study centre.
The Experience
You visit a quiet rural site centred on the Snorralaug, a small circular stone pool fed by a hot spring, where Snorri is said to have bathed, linked by an underground passage to where his house stood. The Snorrastofa centre and church explain his life and work. It is understated, but standing by the pool of the man who saved the Norse myths is quietly powerful.
Why It Matters
Reykholt is one of the most significant literary and historical sites in Iceland, the place where the foundations of our knowledge of Norse mythology were written. Its importance is intellectual rather than scenic, a pilgrimage for anyone interested in the sagas, the myths or medieval history.
Reykholt is one of the most significant literary and historical sites in Iceland, the place where the foundations of our knowledge of Norse mythology were written.
Why Visit
The home of Snorri Sturluson, the writer who preserved Norse mythology, including his surviving geothermal bathing pool and a centre devoted to his work.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
See the Snorralaug, Snorri's surviving stone geothermal bathing pool.
- 2
Visit the Snorrastofa centre to understand his role in preserving Norse myth.
- 3
Combine it with Deildartunguhver hot spring nearby in west Iceland.
- 4
It is a site for history and literature lovers more than dramatic scenery.
