3 Best Sights in Hólar, North Iceland

Auðunarstofa

Built using 14th-century building methods, Auðunarstofa is a reconstruction of an unusual 14th-century bishop’s residence. The original building was brought from Norway around 1316 by a Norwegian man named Auðun Rauði Þorbergsson and erected at Hólar where he was a bishop (1313–1322). The building was reconstructed using wood from Norway in 2002.

Hóladómkirkja

Iceland’s oldest stone cathedral, Hóladómkirkja, was constructed in 1763 using local basalt and red sandstone. The striking steeple was added in 1950 as a memorial to the last Catholic bishop of Hólar, Jón Árnason. Apart from its impressive cherrywood and oak altarpiece dating from 1520, the cathedral contains several unique treasures, including a 1584 Bible, a 1620 portrait of Hólar bishop, a 16th-century crucifix, and a 17th-century baptismal font made of soapstone.

Nýibær

A well-preserved 19th-century turf farmhouse, Nýibær is located next to the university buildings. Maintained by the National Museum of Iceland since 1956, the house is open to visitors daily from 8 am to 6 pm.

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