Settlement & Egils Saga Exhibition

About the tour

Offering a wealth of information, the Settlement Center provides a wonderful insight into Iceland’s history. It also gives you the chance to put your visit into the context of the country’s past. The exhibition recreates the fascinating drama of the sagas and the birth of this island nation. They also bring to life one of Iceland’s most important cultural treasures, Egils Saga.

The Settlement and Egils Saga Exhibition

Five hundred and fifty years ahead of Columbus, in the days before the sextant, courageous Scandinavians dared to sail across the Atlantic.
These adventurers discovered a large untouched island and claimed the land as their own. The Settlement Era of Iceland had begun. We know the names of three
hundred and fifty of these individuals, and we know their stories, thanks to The Book of Icelanders and The Book of the Settlement

The Saga of Egill Skalla-Grimsson profiles the hero who gives his name to Egils Saga as one of the most colorful of all the saga
heroes. Egil was the son of Skalla-Grimur Kveldulfsson, who was one of the very first Viking settlers, and who claimed the land around Borgarnes. Egils Saga
thus provides a perfect vehicle for following one family clan as they settle in Iceland. Egill himself was a larger-than-life character. He was both a great
sensitive poet and also a fierce warrior and Viking. The saga is a complex and vibrant intertwining of battles and love affairs, magic, and witchcraft. The
saga is complex but we have simplified it for you in this 30 minutes synopsis.

A multi-media experience

Multi-media and theatrical techniques are employed to help you experience the trepidation and excitement of setting off over the open
ocean for lands unknown. Audio guides take you on a voyage of discovery and are available in 15 languages; Icelandic, English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish,
Finnish, German, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Dutch. A complete circuit of one exhibition takes about 30 minutes.