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Franzhellir Eyvindarhola

Region: West Iceland
Coordinates: 64.879643° N 20.308244° W

Franzhellir or ‘Franz’ cave is about 15-20 minutes’ walk east of Reykjarvatn in West Iceland. The cave was the last hiding place of Jon Franz, who is thought to be the last outlaw in Iceland and is named after him. Jon Franz was caught in the cave in 1814, but he had fled the authorities after a harsh sentence he received at Snaefellsnes for theft. He escaped from prison, but unlike Fjalla-Eyvindur, he was caught and sent to the prision Brimarhol for 20 years.

Eyvindarhola is a cave south of Reykjavatn and one of the last residences of the famous outlaw Eyvindur and his wife Halla. The entrance to the cave is inconspicuous and narrow, so that one person can barely squeeze down there. The entrance is difficult to find and only those familiar with the area can locate it.
Eyvindur Jonsson was born in 1714 in Hlid in Hrunamannahreppi. He was the eldest of ten siblings and was considered intelligent, tactful, a good swimmer and extremely skilled in hand running, which served him well during his escape from the authorities. He was well read and very handy. There are carefully made wicker baskets (privately owned and in museums) that are left by him, as he often left baskets with those who had helped him during his outlaw times.
Halla Jonsdottir was born in Sugandafjordur around 1720 and was a widow in Midvik in Adalvik when it is believed that Eyvindur settled with her. Halla was not considered pretty to look at and illiterate.
Court documents show that they had children during exile who died young, but Eyvindur had one son before he was exiled.
The location of Fjalla-Eyvindar grave site is at Hrafnsfjardareyri.

Franzhellir Eyvindarhola in Icelandic.