Reykholt & Snorrastofa: Snorri Sturluson’s Home, Pool and Murder Site

If you have ever read Norse mythology, you have read Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda and Heimskringla, our fullest sources for the old gods and the Norwegian kings, were written by a chieftain who lived, worked and died in a small village in West Iceland. That village is Reykholt, and it sits about 20 minutes’ drive from the Hvítá Inn.

Who Was Snorri Sturluson?

Snorri (1179–1241) was a poet, historian and one of the most powerful men in Iceland’s Commonwealth. He settled at Reykholt in 1206 and is thought to have written most of his major works here, making the farm a centre of medieval learning. His story ends violently: on the night of 23 September 1241, men acting on orders relayed through the chieftain Gissur Þorvaldsson stormed the estate and killed him in his own home. Reykholt is, quite literally, both the workshop and the murder site of the man who preserved Norse mythology.

Snorrastofa and the Churches

Snorrastofa is the research and cultural centre on the site, with an exhibition on Snorri and medieval Iceland. It is the place to start: the displays put the sagas, the politics and the archaeology in context before you walk the grounds. Opening hours are seasonal, so check snorrastofa.is before you set out.

Two churches stand here. The old timber church was built in 1885–1887 and served the parish until 1996; it is now part of the National Museum’s house collection. Beside it is the modern Reykholtskirkja, consecrated on 28 July 1996 and known for its acoustics — worth a look inside if the doors are open.

Snorralaug: The Medieval Pool and Tunnel

The oldest thing at Reykholt is Snorralaug, a circular stone-lined geothermal pool fed by a nearby hot spring. It is one of Iceland’s oldest preserved structures and is named in medieval sources, including Snorri’s own writing. A restored underground passage runs from the pool toward the old farm site; there is a low doorway set into the slope behind the pool that curious visitors can look into. One rule matters: you may not bathe in Snorralaug. It is a protected historical monument, not a hot pot — admire it, photograph it, but keep out of the water.

Planning Your Visit

• Getting there: about 20 minutes by car from the Hvítá Inn; Reykholt is signposted off Route 50 / Route 518 in Borgarfjörður.
• How long: allow roughly 1–1.5 hours for Snorrastofa, the pool and the churches.
• Combine with: Deildartunguhver, one of Europe’s most powerful hot springs, is only about 5 minutes away — easy to pair on the same short loop.
• What to bring: sturdy shoes for the grounds, a rain shell (Borgarfjörður weather turns fast), and cash or card for the exhibition entry.
• When to go: the exhibition keeps shorter hours in winter, so mid-morning is safest year-round; the outdoor pool and churches can be seen any time in daylight.

Where to Stay

The The Hvítá Inn sits on the bank of the Hvítá river at Hvítárbakki, about 20 minutes from Reykholt — close enough to reach Snorrastofa before the doors open and be back well before dinner, with Deildartunguhver and the wider Borgarfjörður circuit on the same easy drive. Rooms have private bathrooms, and Reykjavík is about 75 minutes away. Book direct on Ourhotels.is for the best rate.

Photo: Bromr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.