Reykholt and Snorralaug

Snorri Sturluson lived at Reykholt from 1206 until his death and wrote here: the Prose Edda, which preserves more of Norse mythology than any other single source, and Heimskringla, the history of the Norwegian kings. He was also a chieftain in a violent period, and in September 1241 men sent by the Norwegian king killed him in the cellar of this farm. Snorralaug, a circular stone pool fed by hot water through a conduit from a spring, sits beside the site and is one of the oldest man-made structures in Iceland still in its original form; a passage led from it towards the house. The Snorrastofa centre alongside runs research and an exhibition.

The main sights

• Where the Prose Edda was written - the source for most Norse mythology.
• A murder in 1241 - Snorri killed in the cellar by the king's men.
• Snorralaug - a stone pool still fed by its old conduit.
• Snorrastofa - the research centre and exhibition beside the church.

When to go

Year round; the exhibition has fuller summer hours. Two to three hours.

Practical notes

Bathing in Snorralaug is not permitted - it is a protected monument. The medieval remains are mostly below ground and interpreted rather than visible. The exhibition is modest. The site is quiet, which most visitors count as a gain.

Nearby

Deildartunguhver is minutes away; Hraunfossar is further up road 518.