Kirkjubøur

Kirkjubøur

Kirkjubøur is among the oldest villages in the Faroe Islands and certainly one of the most historical.

The village of Kirkjubøur, home to the bishopric, was historically the center of all religious and cultural activity in the country. The village’s location was ideal for settlement, situated where significant flotsam drifted ashore and in an area with extensive sunlight, making the land fertile. While the village was once larger than it is today, its central location has made it one of the country’s most valuable villages.

The historical king’s farm, the largest in the Faroe Islands, has remained in the same family since the mid-16th century. Its distinctive and charming houses add to the area’s allure, including a centuries-old log house and a ‘roykstova’—a front room without a boarded ceiling. This room, featuring a hearth and a smoke hole in the roof ridge, served multiple purposes: kitchen, workroom, living room, and sleeping quarters.

The most famous Faroese monument, the old St. Magnus Cathedral wall in Kirkjubøur, has a remarkable story of its own. Moreover, the current parish church in Kirkjubøur is even older, making it the oldest church in the Faroe Islands.

Click here for a map providing an overview of historical sites and other places of interest in Kirkjubøur. Click on the pins to learn more about each site.