Kirkjubaejarklaustur
A village named for a convent, remembered for the sermon a priest gave as lava came towards it.
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Kirkjubaejarklaustur takes its name from a Benedictine convent founded in 1186 and closed at the Reformation; the site is marked but nothing stands. Its best known story belongs to the Laki eruption: in July 1783, with lava advancing towards the settlement, the priest Jon Steingrimsson held a service in the church that has been called the fire sermon, and the flow stopped short of the village. The lava's halt has a physical explanation, but the account was written down at the time and the event is still marked locally. Behind the village Systrafoss drops from the plateau, and the columns of Kirkjugolf lie at its edge.
What you actually see
- A convent site from 1186 - marked, though nothing stands.
- The fire sermon of 1783 - preached as Laki's lava advanced.
- Systrafoss - the fall dropping behind the village.
- Kirkjugolf at the edge - the natural basalt pavement.
When to go
Year round; it is the main service stop on a long stretch of road. Half a day.
Honest expectations
The village is small and the historic sites are markers rather than buildings. Services fill up in summer and are limited in winter. The surrounding lava field is the real attraction and it is fragile.
Nearby
Eldhraun and Dverghamrar are on route 1; Laki is inland on a highland track.
What to pack for Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.