The Mansion of the Icelandic Soul

Gljúfrasteinn Museum is the Former Home of Icelandic Writer Halldór Laxness

Gljúfrasteinn-Laxness museum, in the Mosfellsdalur valley, is only 20 minutes away from Reykjavík on the way to Þingvellir National Park. It was the home and workplace of Halldór Laxness, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1955, and his family for more than half a century. It is now open to the public as a museum. Hardly anything has been changed in or around the museum since Laxness lived there and thus, it is a perfect example of how the cultural families of Iceland lived during a century of stunning changes, an era when Iceland took a leap from being a remote and tad reclusive fishing and farming community to becoming a player on the world stage.

Capturing the Soul

Laxness, who was born in 1902 and died in 1998, absorbed society’s players and all its tiny steps as well as its big jumps, often foreseeing their consequences, and creating his much-loved literature from the fast-paced journey and characters the Icelanders dicuss and refer to as if they had actually existed. He totally captured the Icelandic soul.

In the reception building at Gljúfrasteinn, you can watch a multimedia presentation dedicated to Laxness’ life and work. Indeed, it is worth your while, as the writer was both interesting and fun, with a tremendous sense of humour. There is also a souvenir shop on the premises where Laxness’ books can be obtained in various languages.

The Source of Inspiration

The reason Laxness built his home here was his love for the Mosfellsdalur valley. He was born and raised in the valley. It was there, at his grandmother’s knee, that he learned to appreciate the different destinies of the human race and develop a kindness towards those less fortunate—which is quite apparent in his novels. The area where Laxness spent his childhood became his source of inspiration throughout his life.

The garden at Gljúfrasteinn is open to the public and a number of pleasant walks can be taken throughout the area. Halldór Laxness spent long hours roaming the beautiful countryside around Gljúfrasteinn and visitors are encouraged to walk along both the river Kaldakvísl and around the valley, which were both his childhood haunts and his inspiration in later life.

If you already know Laxness’ work, you will love this museum. And if you don’t know it, the museum is your first step towards an unimaginably versatile and rich world.

If you are planning to visit during the summer check the museum’s schedule first. During June, July and August there are chamber concerts in the living room, which sports a grand piano, as Laxness was an excellent pianist himself. -SS

Gljúfrasteinn

Gljúfrasteinn • 270 Mosfellsbær +354 586 8066