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KALFSKINN

Region: North Iceland
Coordinates: 65.9207003° N 18.5326927° W

Kalfskinn is a farm in the Arskogsstrond area, where the present (2004) occupants have built up varied travel services. The historical glow of the Sagas of Iceland farm is mainly based on the occupation of King Hraerekur, the king of Heidmork in Norway, who King Olaf the Holy had blinded and sent to Iceland. He liked the change of domicile, the lack of communications with the nobility of Norway, because he felt the more appreciated by his new neighbours in Iceland.

After his death he was buried in a mound near the home pastures of his farm named after him and he is probably is the only king, who has been buried in Iceland. The ”king” and occupant of farm Kalfskinn, Sveinn Jonsson and his descendants, organized a wide range of services for travellers at the farm. Sveinn’s fertile mind and ideas always kept his compemporaries on their toes in spite of the fact, that he and his family have had to carry them out without much support of others. His name is most probably going down in history as one of the most prolific ideologist, optimistic and imaginative pioneer of tourism in Iceland of his time.

Kalfskinn in Icelandic