Kirkjubuor Travel Guide

From Wikipedia:
Kirkjubøur is the southernmost village on Streymoy, Faroe Islands and the country's most important historical site.

Population: 80

It is located on the west coast and has a view towards the islands Hestur and Koltur.

The village was important in the Middle Ages. At that time it was the episcopal residence for the Diocese of the Faroe Islands and as such the spiritual centre of the society. In those days the village is said to have had around 50 houses. The majority of these houses were washed away by a fierce storm in the 16th century.

There are three main attractions from this time:

The ruins of the Magnus Cathedral (appointed as World Heritage Site) from about 1300.
The oldest still used church of the Faroes, Saint Olav's Church from 12th century.
The oldest still inhabited wooden house of the world, Kirkjubøargarður from 11th century.

Many prominent people come from Kirkjubøur or have been living here:

Sverre I of Norway (1151-1202), grew up here.
Bishop Erlendur (?-1308), who build the Magnus Cathedral and wrote the Sheep letter, the oldest document of the country.
Súsanna Helena Patursson (1864-1916), first feminist of the Faroes.
Jóannes Patursson (1866-1946), nationalist leader and writer.
Sverre Patursson (1871-1960), writer, journalist and environmentalist.
Erlendur Patursson (1913-1986), writer and nationalist politician.
Tróndur Patursson (b. 1944), artist and adventurer.

Kirkjubuor travel guide last edited by eileen.sanda edit this text

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