Kirkjubour Travel Guide
Travel to Kirkjubour - Former Cultural Centre of the Faroes
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Located in the far south of Streymoy Island below the rocky peak of Kirkjubøreyn, with its veritable lunar landscape and idyllic lakes, is the important ancient settlement of Kirkjubøur.
During the Middle Ages, Kirkjubøur was the ecclesiastical and cultural centre of the Faroes. Here was the bishop’s residence until the Reformation, when the Faroese diocese was abolished, but the imposing ruin of Saint Magnus Cathedral still dominates the site. Construction is thought to have begun in the late thirteenth century, the style of the building being from the best period of Gothic architecture, pointing to West Norwegian church building from that time. Tradition has it that it was never finished, yet recent research has revealed that it was probably roofed at one time. A great avalanche in 1772 severely damaged the cathedral, crushing in the northeast corner of the building.
Attractions in Kirkjubour
A crumbling wall and a mound of stones is all that remains of another, smaller church, most of this building having been washed away by the sea. The existing parish church is the only medieval church still in use; thought to be even older than the cathedral and reputedly dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. Olav. The church was surrounded by a churchyard, but as much of the land between Kirkjubøur and the islet of Kirkjubøhólmur has been eroded by the sea, it now stands right at the water’s edge.
The Roykstovan, standing on the stone basement of a part of the bishop’s palace, has been the home of the farmers in Kirkjubøur for centuries and occupied by the same Faroese family for 17 generations. Covered with a turf roof, it is a large splitlog building made of timber which is said to have come drifting all the way from Norway some 700 years ago. The farmhouse interior reflects the lifestyle of a large Faroese farm. The main floor was the eating and sleeping area as well as the central activity area with, amongst other things, the spinning wheels.
Getting Around
To get to Kirkjubøur you can either take the bus or hike over the hills. If you start from the cross between Landavegur and Velbastaðvegur in Havnardalur, there is a bridge going over Sandá and from there it is easy to find the path and the first cairn. This path that passes Reynsmúlalág is well marked with many cairns and can be seen in the terrain. The hike takes about two hours and you have the most beautiful views of the islands to the west: Sandoy, Hestur, Koltur and Vágar.
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