The Icelandic Settlement Centre is situated in the picturesque township of Borgarnes on the west coast of Iceland approximately eighty kilometers north of the capital, Reykjavik. This area is the setting for Egils Saga, one of the most graphic of the settlement sagas, and this historical context combined with the charming natural beauty of the site make it an ideal location for the Centre.

The Settlement of Iceland
The main floor of the Centre will house an exhibition entitled The Settlement of Iceland. It will depict how Iceland was discovered, how the Vikings navigated the open ocean and why they abandoned their homelands in Norway. It will tell of the first men to set foot on the island and how the land was settled up to the establishment of the first parliament in the world, the Althing, at Thingvellir in 930AD. Based on the records from The Book of Icelanders, outlines of the stories of the main settlers will be traced. However, it will be the pioneering endeavors of Skalla-Grimur Kveldulfsson, one of the original settlers who claimed large areas of land in the vicinity of the Centre itself, that will be given pre-eminence.

The Saga of Egil Skalla-Grimsson
One of the most colorful of all the saga heroes, Egil was the son of Skalla-Grimur Kveldulfsson. Set in the basement of the Centre will be an exhibition that will profile the hero who gives his name to Egils Saga. The focus will be on his adventures and getting to know the man behind the legend.

The Restaurant
An adjacent building, known as “Budarklettur”, houses a licensed restaurant of the same name. The restaurant will be open during operating hours of the Centre and will also be available after hours for group bookings.