Icelanders who left Vopnafjörður for the New World
Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands in Kaupvangur tells the story of emigration from East and Northeast Iceland; a memorial to Vopnafjörður emigrants stands in the ga…
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About Icelanders who left Vopnafjörður for the New World
Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands in Kaupvangur tells the story of emigration from East and Northeast Iceland; a memorial to Vopnafjörður emigrants stands in the garden outside.
Visit one place that combines Vopnafjörður's emigration history, the work of Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands and the memorial to local people who left for North America.
Photos
Gallery
Background
History & Background
Large-scale emigration from Iceland to North America shaped many communities in the late 19th century. Vesturfarinn, the organisation behind Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands, works to strengthen connections with descendants of emigrants from East and Northeast Iceland, particularly people who left Vopnafjörður, the Múlasýslur districts and Þistilfjörður, including migration associated with the difficult years following the 1875 Askja eruption. The memorial in front of Kaupvangur commemorates Vopnafjörður emigrants and includes lines by poet Stephan G. Stephansson.
Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands is located in Kaupvangur, Vopnafjörður's cultural centre. The centre focuses on the history of people who emigrated from East and Northeast Iceland, especially Vopnafjörður and neighbouring districts, and on maintaining connections with their descendants abroad. In the garden directly in front of Kaupvangur stands a memorial to Vopnafjörður residents who left for the New World. Lines from Stephan G. Stephansson's poem 'Úr Íslendingadags ræðu' are inscribed on the memorial stone. The centre and the memorial are best presented together as one historical visitor stop rather than as duplicate attractions.
Folklore
Story & Folklore
The emigration story in Vopnafjörður is told through both Kaupvangur and the memorial outside it. Families from East and Northeast Iceland left for North America during the great emigration period, and their descendants became part of Icelandic communities abroad. Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands preserves those connections, while the memorial stone in the garden gives the story a visible place in the village today.
Did You Know?
Roughly one-fifth of Iceland's population emigrated to North America between 1870 and 1914, making it one of the largest migrations relative to population size.
Culture
Stories & Legends
Icelandic sagas and folklore from this area
Krossavík (Kirkjuból í Njarðvík)
Krossavík (now Kirkjuból): Where a saga's end became a new beginning.
Skálavík
Skálavík is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Fljótsdæla saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
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Hidden Gems Nearby
Vopnafjörður Heritage Museum
Located nearby, this museum offers deeper insights into local history and the daily lives of those who stayed.
Provides rich context to the emigration stories.
Local Harbor
Walk along the harbor where the emigrant ships once departed, imagining the farewells and hopes.
A poignant spot to reflect on the journeys.
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Location
Location
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