Elf and Viking Village

  1. Social life
  2. Cultural heritage

The Elven Town

According to many, various things lurk in the Hafnarfjörður lava field that not everyone is privileged to see. It has always been believed that elves and dwarves have their dwellings in the cliffs and lava mounds. These hidden beings have long lived in harmony with the local human inhabitants, and there are many of them. Oral traditions Many have claimed to have seen the white-clad woman with the silver belt, who is said to live in the Hammer, the hall of the elves.

The following account is based on the experience of a woman who lived for a long time near the Hammer. She dreamt that she was invited to come inside the Hammer. A white-clad woman led her through the magnificent apartments of the hall. As they walked through the corridors, the woman saw many strangely dressed people. They were all dressed in multicoloured clothes and bowed when they saw the fairy queen. This dream lends credence to the theory that elves of royal blood live in the Hammer.

There are many examples in Iceland of road layouts being altered due to accidents that have been attributed to elves or hidden folk. A case in point is at Merkurgata in Hafnarfjörður, where the road narrows considerably at an elf-rock that juts out into the street.

The Aluminium Ring

Silja Gunnarsdóttir has prepared a fun walking trail about the paths of elves, which you can explore in more detail. here.

Covered Home Map

There is a map of the hidden world where the settlements of hidden beings in Hafnarfjörður have been recorded, guided by the seer Erla Stefánsdóttir. It reads: „Hafnarfjörður is a town of men and hidden people. Just as elves can be sensed in every garden, the lava field is particularly alive, with dwarves, earth-dwarves and all sorts of elves.“ The Hidden World Map is available from the Hafnarfjörður Town Hall Service Centre.

 

The Viking town

In June every year, The Viking Society Rimmugýgur for the Viking Festival at Víðistaðatún. The festival features combat displays, re-enactment performances, storytellers, archery, crafts, a market, a children's Viking school, music and food for sale. The Viking Festival has been held in Hafnarfjörður for almost three decades, but the first festival took place in Víðistaðatún in 1995. 

It is safe to say that the festival is filled with a genuine medieval atmosphere, joy and revelry.