Kirkjubøur

Population:	80
Postal Code (Zip):	FO 175
Location	61°57′22″N 6°47′37″W
Country	Faroe Islands
Municipality	Tórshavnar (List of municipalities)

Kirkjubøur. At left is Saint Olav's Church from the 12th century. The central building is Kirkjubøargarður (also called Roykstovan), the worlds' oldest still inhabited wooden house, from the 11th century. It's also a museum. In the background the islands Sandoy and Hestur.

A blizzard in Kirkjubøur.

The islet of Kirkjubøhólmur and st. Olav's church. In the distance the island of Hestur.

A cluster of houses on Í Lágabø street

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

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

History

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.

People

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.

Kirkjubøur pew ends

The mediaeval carved pew ends from Saint Olav's church are now to be found in the National Museum of the Faroe Islands. These featured in three series of Faroese stamps, engraved by Czeslaw Slania. For the full series, see here.

See also

• List of towns in the Faroe Islands

External links

• Faroeislands.dk: Kirkjubøur Images and description of all cities on the Faroe Islands.

One of the pew ends: Maria and Baby Jesus   Magnus Cathedral   Map showing the position of Kirkjubøur on Streymoy