World monuments awaiting discovery.

 

A tourist attraction in the shadow of Covid

There are few tourists now in these Covid times, however, there are always one by one who come to visit the old village which has now been pacified.  The origins can be traced back to the Viking Age when the place was a center of navigation between Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, Greenland and the British Isles.  In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Empire had facilities for sailing and fishing.  In the 18th century, it was the country's largest trading post under the Kingdom of Denmark.  Extensive fishing was done on large rowing vessels that were also built in the village and one such vessel is on display at the Eyrarbakki Maritime Museum.

Archaeological excavations

This summer, archaeologists have been researching Eyrarbakki, where the great trading houses stood from the middle of the 18th century until 1950, when the store manager in the next village of Selfoss bought the houses and had them demolished to prevent competition forever. Excavations have taken place from the foundations of the oldest trading house, which was built in the middle of the 18th century by the Danish royal store. Earlier in the centuries, the Norwegians had built a storehouse under their store and it was called Rauðubúðir, but it is not known exactly where it stood. Summer shopping began in Eyrarbakki as early as the Viking Age.