The Norwegian House (Norska húsið): Iceland’s First Two-Storey Timber Home

A House Built From Norwegian Timber

The Norwegian House (Norska húsið) at Hafnargata 5 in Stykkishólmur was built in 1832 for the merchant and amateur astronomer Árni Ó. Thorlacius, who had inherited his father’s trading rights in the town. Rather than build in the usual Icelandic style of the period, Thorlacius imported timber and building materials from Norway and put up a two-storey wood-framed house — the first of its kind in Iceland. Most homes at the time were single-storey turf or timber structures, so the house would have stood out sharply against the harbour skyline when it went up.

A Merchant’s Home, Preserved Upstairs

Árni Thorlacius lived here with his wife, Anna M. Steenback, and the upper floor is now set up as a restored 19th-century upper-class home, furnished with pieces connected to the couple. The ground floor houses rotating exhibitions on the history and culture of the Snæfellsnes and Hnappadalur region, plus a small museum shop selling local crafts. The building itself, with its steep roof and symmetrical windows, is as much the exhibit as anything inside it.

Iceland’s Longest Weather Record

In 1845 Árni Thorlacius began recording the weather in Stykkishólmur — wind direction and speed, temperature, air pressure, and the state of the sky — several times a day. Those observations mark the start of continuous weather recording in Stykkishólmur, now recognized as the longest unbroken weather record kept anywhere in Iceland, still valuable to climate researchers studying the country’s changing conditions.

Visiting

• Location: Hafnargata 5, Stykkishólmur — in the old harbour district
• Getting there: Stykkishólmur is about 2.5 hours’ drive (roughly 170 km) from Reykjavík via Route 54
• On foot: the museum sits directly on the harbour front, an easy walk from anywhere in the town centre
• Duration: allow 30–45 minutes to see both floors and the shop
• What to bring: comfortable shoes for cobbled harbour streets; the museum itself is indoors and heated
• Timing: check current opening hours before visiting, as they vary by season

Where to Stay

The Stykkishólmur Inn sits right in the walkable old town, close enough to the harbour that the Norwegian House is just a short stroll away — handy for popping in before or after a walk around the old fishing quarter or a trip out into Breiðafjörður. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: TommyBee via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.