Rob Young · CC BY 2.0
Viking Age · 9th century
Ingólfur Arnarson
Ingólfur Arnarson · Iceland
Iceland's first permanent settler
According to the Book of Settlements (Landnámabók), he and his foster brother Hjörleifur sailed from Norway to Iceland and in 874 made their home at Reykjavík; he is regarded as Iceland's first permanent settler. A statue of Ingólfur designed by the sculptor Einar Jónsson was unveiled in Reykjavík in 1924.
Where the story happened
Los lugares que dejó
Leyenda · Reykjavík
High-seat pillars that let the gods choose the site
According to the 'Book of Settlements', Ingólfr Arnarson and his foster brother Hjörleifr sailed from Norway to Iceland. On sighting land he threw the pillars from either side of his high seat into the sea, vowing to settle wherever the gods let them wash ashore. Two slaves searched the coast for three years before finding the pillars in a small bay — the place that later became Reykjavík.
