Vestmannaeyjar
The Westman Islands take their name from the Irish and Scottish thralls (slaves) who escaped to these volcanic islands in the early settlement age.
About
About Vestmannaeyjar
The Westman Islands take their name from the Irish and Scottish thralls (slaves) who escaped to these volcanic islands in the early settlement age.
Tours Near Vestmannaeyjar
DT 322 Private Superjeep South Coast & Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Sights
Superjeep · 8 hours
South Coast Waterfalls, Glacier & Black Sand Beach Tour
BusTravel Iceland · 10 hours
South Coast Small Group Tour: Waterfalls, Glacier & Black Sand Beach
BusTravel Iceland · 10 hours
South Coast Waterfalls, Black Beach and Glacier Adventure | Small Group Day Tour
Nicetravel · 11 hours
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Folklore
Story & Folklore
The name Vestmannaeyjar — 'Islands of the Western Men' — refers to a dramatic episode from the saga age. In 877 AD, Irish and Scottish thralls (slaves) brought to Iceland by Norwegian settlers murdered their master, the brother of Iceland's first settler Ingólfur Arnarson, and fled to the offshore islands. They were later caught and killed, but the islands kept their name. The archipelago later became one of Iceland's most productive fishing communities — until the catastrophic 1973 Eldfell eruption buried a third of the town in lava. The remarkable evacuation and rebuilding of the island is one of Iceland's great modern stories. Pompeii of the North meets Viking heritage.
Did You Know?
The word "Westmen" referred to Irish people living west of Norway during the Viking Age.
Location
Location
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