<- ->

Eiriksstadir

Region: West Iceland
Coordinates: 65.0591891° N 21.6389534° W

Eiriksstadir is an abandoned farmstead in the Haukadalur valley.

Sagas of Iceland According to the Eric Saga and the Greenlander Saga, Erik the red lived there. He was the father of Leif the lucky, who discovered North America in the year 1000.

Leif was brought up at Eiriksstadir to the age of six, when his family had to emigrate to Greenland. In the year 985, a few men from the farm Breidabolstadur near the farm Drangar had attacked his father after he had collected a dept there rather forcefully. The result was the death of two of the sons of the farmer at Breidabolstadur and Erik was exiled from the country.

After having settled on the west coast of Greenland, Erik probably got bored and needed the company of more people. Thus, he sailed back to Iceland and told everyone who would listen how outstanding it was to live in Greenland. He managed to convince quite a few families to accompany him back there to settle, but half of the fleet of almost 30 ships was lost at sea. This was the beginning of the Icelandic settlement of Greenland.

The museum is open daily during summer. 1st May – 30 SeptemberTelephone: +354 .

Eiriksstadir is is on nat.is West Iceland Saga Trail

Eiriksstadir in Icelandic

Photo Credit: Wolfgang Sauber

Get an education when travel: