The Saga Heritage of Snæfellsnes
The Saga Heritage of Snæfellsnes at the National Park Visitor Centre in Hellissandur
Snæfellsjökull National Park and the Eyrbyggja Saga Society on Snæfellsnes have joined forces to bring the region’s saga heritage to life through a series of events at the National Park Visitor Centre in Hellissandur, exploring the history and stories of Þórsnes, the Eyrbyggjar and Álftafjörður.
Since 2021, the Eyrbyggja Saga Society has been working to bring Eyrbyggja saga to the public through events inspired by the saga, including reading groups, storytelling events and guided walks to locations featured in the saga. Members of the society’s board have also provided guided tours as part of organised excursions.
The society’s largest project at present is the creation of an embroidered tapestry based on the saga. Artist Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir was commissioned to design the tapestry, which is divided into seven sections, corresponding to the seven women’s associations operating on Snæfellsnes. Each association has taken responsibility for the embroidery in its own community. The sections being embroidered by the Hellissandur and Ólafsvík women’s associations are located at the National Park Visitor Centre.
The wool yarn used for the embroidery comes from sheep farmers throughout Snæfellsnes and has been specially dyed and spun for the project.
Embroidery began in the first half of 2026, and the public is welcome to take part in the events held at each location. The tapestry sections are also being worked on at Lýsuhólsskóli, Breiðablik, Stykkishólmur, Helgafellssveit and Grundarfjörður.
Through its exhibitions, Snæfellsjökull National Park interprets the natural history of the area, its sense of mystery, its saga heritage and its settlement history. These themes are closely connected to Eyrbyggja saga.
Follow the progress of the tapestry project on social media and at eyrbyggja.is.