GALDRASYNING Á STRÖNDUM
We tell tales of magic
– Icelandic Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft
Fancy the occult? Get a fascinating, and sometimes strange, glimpse of the lesser known world of 17th century Iceland at The Icelandic Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft
An elder man sits slumped over a pile of bones and feathers. In his hand he holds a hlautbolli, which he fills with sheep’s blood. He places it on the ground and with a knife carves a magical stave into a piece of driftwood. All is quiet, beside the incantation he whispers as he carves.
A hlautbolli is a type of cup used for sacrificial blood during Old Norse pagan rituals and is one of the many magical objects (along with the infamous necro pants) on display at the Icelandic Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft in Hólmavík.
I have always been fascinated with the occult. Books about magical staves, alchemy, folklore and runic systems fill my book case. As a fantasy author I am committed to research and using authentic and historically accurate magic spells in my stories. When I discovered the Iceland’s Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft I just had to pay a visit. Turns out this is a popular destination for international tourists composing over 70% of the annual visits. In one year the museum saw over 19,000 visitors, an impressive number for a small scale museum in comparison to NYC’s MOMA. Let’s dig into what makes this award winning little museum so grand.
RESEARCH AND PRESERVATION
Iceland’s Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft is located in the small town of Hólmavík outside of the West Fjords, in the area Strandir. The Museum itself has two parts, the exhibition in Hólmavík, and the Sorcerer’s Cottage in Bjarnafjordur, 25 km North of Hólmavík, next to hotel Laugarhöll.
The museum in Holmavik has two floors. The relatively compact exhibition is rich with various objects of Icelandic folklore, well researched paraphernalia, and an entire section dedicated to the tragic 17th witch hunts. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to John The Learned who narrowly escaped the witch hunt flames. I found the witch hunt timeline on the second floor as well as the stories of the people involved fascinating.
On the grounds you will also find a statue composed of driftwood of Klemus Bjarnason, the last person in Iceland to be executed for witchcraft. I found the message inscription very moving.
It is also worth mentioning, although the exhibition largely focuses on 17th century cases of sorcery in Iceland, sorcery was not new to the community. It had been part of the old germanic religion and was cited in the eddic poetry long before Christianity in 1000 A.D. Unfortunately not much of heathen sorcery that was practiced by Odin’s cult and runes was recorded which is why the preservation of what we do have is significant.
You can read more about cases of sorcery in Icelandic, magical practices, and Strandir’s history here https://galdrasyning.is/en/galdrar/
MUSEUM OF SORCERY AND WITCHCRAFT IN HOLMAVIK
The museum was founded in the year 2000 and in 2020 celebrated its 20th anniversary. The Steingrimsfjordur trading company handed over an old warehouse by the Hólmavík harbour which remains the site of the museum to date. Many volunteer hands of Strandir made the exhibition possible. I’d like to note the significance this project has had on not only the Strandir community but also preserving a part of Icelandic history that otherwise would be lost and forgotten. The museum staff prides themselves on education, research, and maintaining a community minded approach to the museum’s operations.
On the first floor you will also find the Galdur Cafe ( I highly recommend the fish soup and rhubarb cake!) and a souvenir shop with one of kind books about Icelandic magic, folklore, and myth for sale. This is where I purchased Tvær galdurskræður, The Two Books on Icelandic Magic that contains original Icelandic spells and staves, everything from carve this to protect your home from evil to carve this to damage your enemy’s horse. For purchase is also a variety of Icelandic herbal teas and various magical staves. You may be interested in purchasing one for safe travel or protection! I keep one in my car at all times.
SORCERER’S COTTAGE
This has to be one of my favorite stops in Iceland. The Sorcerer’s Cottage is in the town of Bjarnafjorður, 25 miles North of Hólmavík. It is next to the Hotel Laugarhöll which features a pool and hot springs for a small fee, meals, and a stay if your travels require one.
The cottage was founded in and gives visitors a real life glimpse into survival of 17th century Iceland. It was created in traditional Icelandic turf style, with turf blocks known as klambra. The timber frame is made of driftwood, a precious commodity in the Strandir region due to lack of forests. Inside you will find a center hearth, sleeping quarters, and various objects with magical significance. On the frame you can search for carvings of magical symbols used in 17th century Iceland like the one pictured below.
You can tour the cottage and its grounds for free. I would suggest making a day out of this and spending some time at the cottage and in the historical town of Bjarnafjorður.
GETTING THERE
To the museum in Hólmavík:
Hólmavík is located by the stunning Steingrímsfjörður (Steingrim’s Fjord) in the Strandir region of the Western Fjords. It is about 3 hours drive from Reykjavik, 5 hours from Akureyri, and 2.5 hour from Isafjordur. The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft is in an old warehouse by the harbour. When turning from the main road into Hólmavík, drive around 1 km/half a mile into town. You will see a black building on your right. Parking is next to the building and there is a handicap accessible spot.
The address is: Höfðagata 8, Hólmavík
OPENING HOURS AND ADMISSION
The museum in Hólmavík is open daily in the summer from 10 am to 6pm with no admittance after 5:30pm. Winter they are open daily from 12 – 6pm. Admittance is 1200 ISK krona for adult, 1000 ISK krona for student, 900 ISK for senior and disability. There is free admittance for children up to the age of 14.
You can find more about the Iceland’s Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft here /https://galdrasyning.is/en/
I hope to be able to visit here