Description

“Turf houses were constructed by the original settlers of Iceland and were based on Viking longhouses. Icelandic turf houses were produced due to the difficult climate, offering superior insulation compared to buildings made only of wood or stone. Some of the ones you see today date back 100s of years while others have been reconstructed as museums or to preserve the local culture and history of Iceland for future generations to enjoy and appreciate. As I circled the entire country I would see them in so many varieties. I was so captivated by all of them. It really felt more like a movie than reality, as I drove by these little houses all over the country. I tried to imagine someone living in them, especially during the winter and the rough, windy storms that pass through Iceland so often. I found it so interesting how differently so many of them were constructed. Some were built into mountains. Some stood on their own. Others were reconstructed models of turf churches or small rows of homes showing how life in Iceland once was. ‘Viking’s Lair’ is actually located in Southern Iceland and built into a large rock formation that reaches out from the main mountain range towards the sea.” – Jon Barnes