Reynistaður, found in the Skagafjörður region of northern Iceland, belongs to the rare group of places where centuries of Icelandic history and legend are interwoven with the land. For much of its existence, Reynistaður has been more than a simple farm or settlement; it has stood as a reflection of the island’s shifting social power and enduring cultural memory.
From chieftains to convents
The earliest known prominence of Reynistaður is linked to Þorfinnur karlsefni, whose name translates as “the makings of a man.” He lived here with his wife, Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir, after returning from Vinland. This connection roots Reynistaður in the saga age, close to the legendary voyages of Norse explorers to North America.
In the turbulent 13th century, the Age of the Sturlungs, Reynistaður became a key residence of the powerful Ásbirningar chieftain family. Notable residents included Kolbeinn kaldaljós, also called Staðar-Kolbeinn, and his son Brandur Kolbeinsson. Their presence placed Reynistaður firmly at the centre of medieval Iceland’s shifting alliances and feuds.
Ownership later passed to Gissur Þorvaldsson, a chieftain who was granted the title of jarl (earl). Reynistaður then saw its status rise as it was regarded as the earl’s residence. Gissur later donated the property for the founding of a convent, but it was not until 1295, nearly three decades after his death, that Reynistaður Abbey finally opened. The abbey operated up until the Reformation in the 16th century, after which the convent was closed but the resident nuns were permitted to live there for the rest of their lives.
Legacy in land and memory
While there are no known ruins or artifacts left from the abbey, its influence remains in place names around Reynistaður. After the Reformation, the convent’s lands fell into royal ownership, overseen by officials referred to as “abbey magistrates.” Many magistrates, including the lawyer Oddur Gottskálksson, Sigurður Jónsson and his son Jón Sigurðsson, sheriff Jens Spendrup, and Halldór Vídalín Bjarnason and his widow Ragnheiður Einarsdóttir, lived at Reynistaður. The heritage continued into the 19th century, as Einar Stefánsson, grandfather of the poet Einar Benediktsson, also resided there.
Architecture marks Reynistaður’s material heritage. The old barn, demolished in 1935, preserved its original 18th-century stave-constructed doorway. This doorway was eventually relocated before being reconstructed near its original site in 1999, surrounded by turf walls and a turf roof, a structure now under the protection of the National Museum of Iceland.
The Reynistaður church has been a landmark since the area’s earliest days. The current wooden church was consecrated in 1870 and is a protected building. Local tradition holds that the jarl Gissur lies buried beneath its floor, adding another layer of legend to this deeply-rooted site.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia (Icelandic) in Icelandic
