Stong and the Commonwealth Farm

Stong was a farm in Thjorsardalur abandoned when Hekla erupted in 1104 and covered the valley in tephra, and because it was buried rather than rebuilt, the layout survived intact under the ash. A joint Nordic archaeological expedition excavated it in 1939, and the walls are now protected under a shelter, with the hall, living room and outbuildings readable on the ground. In 1974, for the eleven hundredth anniversary of the settlement of Iceland, a full-size reconstruction was built a few kilometres away using the excavation as its model - Thjodveldisbaerinn, the Commonwealth Farm - so the same building can be seen as ruin and as standing house.

What you actually see

• A farm sealed by ash in 1104 - the layout preserved by burial.
• Excavated in 1939 - by a joint Nordic expedition, now under a shelter.
• A full-size reconstruction - built in 1974 from the excavation.
• Ruin and building together - the same house in two states.

When to go

June to early September; the reconstruction keeps summer hours. Two to three hours.

Honest expectations

Road 327 to Stong is rough with a ford that many hire cars are not insured for. The ruin under its shelter is subtle and rewards reading the plan first. The reconstruction charges entry and closes outside summer.

Nearby

Gjain is a short walk from Stong; Haifoss is at the head of the valley.