Kirkjubæjarklaustur: Interesting Facts About Iceland’s Important Service Village

Tucked away in the south of Iceland is a village called Kirkjubæjarklaustur with approximately 120 people. Often called Klaustur for short, Kirkjubæjarklaustur is located between Vík and Höfn and it offers services such in banking, post office, supermarket and a fuel station.

It is a village filled with much greenery, much sightseeing and simple living.

Here are a few interesting facts about Kirkjubæjarklaustur, as reported by NAT Travel Guide:

- It is thought that Irish monks lived there even before the first Norse settlement.

- A convent of Benedictine nuns was located there until the Icelandic people's Reformation in 1550.

- There is a rocky mound there called Systrastapi, or the Sisters' Mound, where it is believed that two nuns are buried after being burned at the stake.

- This area has some of the country's most beautiful natural phenomena and landscapes and does offer recreational activities such as salmon and trout fishing, hiking, historical sites, sightseeing and more.

- Visitors are can get a hotel, sleeping bag accommodations, restaurants, camping grounds, a swimming pool or more should they venture to that part of the island.

- The village became popular in the country during the Lakagígar volcano eruptions in 1783, according to Wikipedia.

- The village is also a service center for the farms in the region and for tourists and weekend visitors.