Skálholt Cathedral
Skálholt was one of Iceland's two episcopal seats from 1056 to 1796 and the most important religious and cultural centre in Iceland for nearly 700 years.
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About Skálholt Cathedral
Skálholt was one of Iceland's two episcopal seats from 1056 to 1796 and the most important religious and cultural centre in Iceland for nearly 700 years.
Visit one of Iceland's most important historic religious centres, with a modern cathedral built over centuries of church history.
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Skálholt was one of Iceland's two episcopal seats from 1056 to 1796 and for centuries was the country's leading religious, educational and cultural centre. The present cathedral was completed in 1963 on a site occupied by a succession of earlier churches. Beneath it, the crypt preserves archaeological remains connected with the medieval cathedral and the stone sarcophagus of Bishop Páll Jónsson. The wider Skálholt site also includes exhibitions and cultural facilities, making it one of the most important historic stops on the Golden Circle.
Folklore
Story & Folklore
Skálholt was one of Iceland's two episcopal seats from 1056 to 1796 and the most important religious and cultural centre in Iceland for nearly 700 years. The current cathedral, completed in 1963, stands on the site of 11 previous churches, and the crypt contains the original 12th-century cathedral foundations and the ornate sarcophagus of Bishop Páll Jónsson (c.1195). The surrounding area includes a school, concert hall (famous for summer music festivals) and exhibitions on Iceland's medieval church history.
Did You Know?
Skálholt was one of Iceland's two episcopal seats from 1056 to 1796 and the most important religious and cultural centre in Iceland for nearly 700 years.
Culture
Stories & Legends
Icelandic sagas and folklore from this area
Mosfell
Mosfell is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Flóamanna saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
Skálholt
Skálholt is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Eyrbyggja saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.
Skálholt – Ghosts of Iceland's Ancient Cathedral
For nearly eight centuries, Skálholt stood at the heart of Icelandic religious life, witnessing fires, earthquakes, political struggles and the bloody execution of Bishop Jón Arason and his sons, and with centuries of bishops, clergy and the dead buried beneath and around the cathedral grounds, it is perhaps unsurprising that Icelandic folklore has wrapped the ancient site in tales of shadowy figures, unexplained footsteps and restless spirits that seem reluctant to leave one of the country's most sacred and historically powerful places.
Location
Location
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