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KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR

Skaftárhreppur
Skaftárhreppur district is the center of the south of Iceland and the perfect location to stay while taking day tours to see many of Iceland's best known natural treasures, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Langisjór lake, Eldgjá fissure, Laki craters, the lava field Eldhraun and Fjaðrárgljúfur. The easy but very interesting 5 km hike trail is Ástarbrautin (The Love Path in Kirkjubæjarklaustur). This is an area where saga meets lava. On the web eldsveitir.is you can find more about history, culture and the nature in the area. The district is part of Katla geopark and the gateway to the western part of Vatnajökull National Park.

Kirkjubæjarklaustur - Skaftárhreppur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur was known in olden times as "Kirkjubær" (Church Farm) and was an important farming estate. It is one of the most tongue-twisting words to pronounce of any location in Iceland. Kirkjubæjarklaustur has developed into a village, the only center of population in the district, with about 150 inhabitants. Kirkjubæjarklaustur, often abbreviated to "Klaustur", is centrally located in the district. Roads radiate from Klaustur in many different directions and the Ring Road runs through the district. The Fjallabak roads (north and south) lead from the Ring Road into the interior via Skaftártunga. The Laki road, just west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, leads into the highlands.

Nearby tourist attractions include the Laki craters, the Eldgjá, and Skaftafell. Near the Ring Road, you find Fjaðrárgljúfur, accessible all year round. An attraction close to the village is Kirkjugólf (Church Floor), a natural pavement of basalt. These are basalt columns down in the earth, eroded and shaped by wind and waves, but only the top can be seen, and they, as the name suggests, have the appearance of a paved church floor. It is a protected natural monument. This lava formation has similar origins as the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. All these attractions contribute to the popularity of Kirkjubæjarklaustur as a stopping point for tourists.

 

Reverend Jón Steingrímsson chapel

Reverend Jón Steingrímsson chapel

The chapel at Kirkjubæjarklaustur was consecrated in 1974. It was built in the memory of reverend Jón Steingrímsson, fire cleric (1728-1791). He said
Kirkjugólf

Kirkjugólf

Kirkjugólf, or ‘the church floor,’ is an 80 square meter expanse of columnar basalt stone slabs that slowly eroded when the sea covered the area. The
Skaftárstofa Visitor Centre, Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Skaftárstofa Visitor Centre, Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Skaftárstofa is the Vatnajökull National Park visitors center, located near Kirkjubæjarklaustur at Sönghóll by road number 1. It also serves as an in
Hotel Klaustur

Hotel Klaustur

Hotel Klaustur is ideally located for trips to the biggest glacier in Europe – Vatnajökull, Laki Craters and Skaftafell National Park, as well as the
Kirkjubæjarklaustur Swimming Pool

Kirkjubæjarklaustur Swimming Pool

Where you can watch the Waterfall from the Hot Tube ! The sports center at Kirkjubæjarklaustur is in the middle of the village . The Sports Center has
Kirkjubæjarstofa

Kirkjubæjarstofa

Exhibition and study centre on the nature, history and culture of the region.
Systrafoss Waterfall

Systrafoss Waterfall

Systrafoss is the name of the waterfall where the river Fossá falls from the lake Systravatn, over the mountain edge above Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Low do
Systrastapi

Systrastapi

In 1186 a nun monastery was established in Kirkjubær á Síðu. It was later called Kirkjubæjarklaustur, and the topographical names Systrastapi and Syst
Landbrotshólar

Landbrotshólar

In Landbrot, right next to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, are Landbrotshólar, many clusters of pseudocraters, formed in the Eldgjá eruption in 934 to 940 when l
Prestsbakkakirkja á Síðu

Prestsbakkakirkja á Síðu

Prestsbakki has been an ecclesiastical site since 1859 when church activities at Kirkjubæjarklaustur ceased. The Rev. Jón Steingrímsson (1728-91), kno
Secret Iceland

Secret Iceland

Secret Iceland is licensed day tour provider authorized by the Icelandic tourist board since 2010.  Founders of Secret Iceland are the brothers Traust
Hótel Laki

Hótel Laki

Hotel Laki is a family run business located five kilometres south of Kirkjubaejarklaustur, only a three hours drive from Reykjavik. It is surrounded b
Hunkubakkar

Hunkubakkar

Hunkubakkar Guesthouse has to offer 20 rooms in total. There are six rooms with shared facilities, six bigger cottages for 3 and 4 persons and eight d
Iceland Bike Farm

Iceland Bike Farm

We are a small, family run, locally based adventure tour company. We specialize in mountain biking, located in the mountain biking paradise of Kirkjub
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon

Fjaðrárgljúfur is 6 kilometers from Road 1; take road F206. People can travel by small cars to Fjaðrárgljúfur all year round. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a magn
Skaftáreldahraun lava field

Skaftáreldahraun lava field

In 1783, a huge lava flow streamed from Lakagígar in what became known as  the “Skaftá Fires.” This is believed to have been one of the greatest lava
Foss á Síðu

Foss á Síðu

Foss á Síðu is the name of an old farm, approximately 10 km east of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. A beautiful waterfall cascades over the cliffs above the farm
Dverghamrar

Dverghamrar

Dverghamrar (Dwarf Rocks), just east of Foss, is a peculiar and beautiful columnar basalt formation. On top of the columns, there is cube-jointed basa
Fagrifoss Waterfall

Fagrifoss Waterfall

Fagrifoss is a scenic 80 m high waterfall in the Geirlandsá River. Basaltic pillows occur in the vicinity of the waterfall, which cascades from 140m t
Fosshotel Nupar

Fosshotel Nupar

Panoramic views of Vatnajökull’s lava fields Fosshotel Núpar is a comfortable and perfectly located hotel in one of the most panoramic landscapes in I
Blágil - Skaftárhreppur

Blágil - Skaftárhreppur

The mountain hut in Blágil is located 15 km south of Lakagígar. The hut has sleeping bag facilities for 18 people. There are kitchen and dining facil
Giljagisting

Giljagisting

Giljaland Cottages Well equipped self catering family owned cottages ideally located in Central South Iceland, with beautiful countryside view and wit
Arctic Exclusive Ranch

Arctic Exclusive Ranch

Arctic Exclusive Ranch is an 800-acre farm in the southeast of Iceland. Perfectly located halfway between Reykjavik and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.  W
Laufskálavarða

Laufskálavarða

Laufskálavarða is a lava ridge surrounded by stone cairns between the Hólmsá and Skálmá rivers, close to the road north of Álftaver. For the first tim
Hólaskjól-Higlandcenter

Hólaskjól-Higlandcenter

Hólaskjól is located on the highland route, Fjallabaksleið Nyrðri, about 35 km. from the main # 1 road.  You pass through the Skaftártunga area, road
Lakagígar and Laki

Lakagígar and Laki

Lakagígar is a row of craters formed in one of the world's largest mixed eruptions in recorded history. This continuous series of eruptions emitted a
Lómagnúpur

Lómagnúpur

Lómagnúpur is a 688 high palisade of cliffs that towers over Björninn Mountain, west of the Núpsvötn Lakes in Skeiðarársandur. The surroundings are re
Ófærufoss waterfall - Nyrðri Ófæra river

Ófærufoss waterfall - Nyrðri Ófæra river

Ófærufoss is an extremely beautiful waterfall in the river Nyrðri-Ófæra and falls into Eldgjá in two cascades. There used to be a stone arch across th
Eldgjá canyon

Eldgjá canyon

Eldgjá is an old tectonic graben reactivated in a massive eruption in 934-940. The Eldgjá vents form a discontinuous 75 km long volcanic fissure exten
Álftaversgígar

Álftaversgígar

Álftaversgígar is a protected natural phenomenon of international geological significance. An area of rootless cones (pseudocraters) formed by the Eld
Þykkvabæjarklaustur

Þykkvabæjarklaustur

Þykkvabæjarklaustur is a present and historic church site snuggled in the Álftaver pseudo crater area. In medieval times this was the location of a ca
Langisjór Lake, Fögrufjöll, Grænifjallgarður

Langisjór Lake, Fögrufjöll, Grænifjallgarður

Langisjór is a lake within Vatnajökull National Park that's 20 km long and 2 km wide in some places. The lake is to the southwest of Vatnajökull, betw

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