Hólar ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhouːlar̥] ; also Hólar í Hjaltadal [ˈhouːlar i ˈçal̥taˌtaːl̥] ) is a small community in the Skagafjörður district of northern Iceland .
8-582: Hólar is in the valley Hjaltadalur , some 379 km (235.50 mi) from the national capital of Reykjavík . It has a population of around 100. It is the site of the main campus of Hólar University College , a site of historical buildings and archeological excavation, home to the Center for the history of the Icelandic horse, Hólar Cathedral, and the turf house Nýibær. The first printing press in Iceland
16-527: The godar , Iceland's ruling class, maintained their power. Some built their own churches; others were ordained. Holar was the Episcopal see for northern Iceland (whereas Skálholt served the same function for southern Iceland), and a cultural and educational centre for almost seven centuries (1106–1798). It was founded as a diocese in 1106 by bishop Jón Ögmundsson and soon became one of Iceland's two main centers of learning. It played an important part in
24-596: The medieval politics of Iceland, and was the seat of Guðmundur Arason in his struggle with Icelandic chieftains during the time of the commonwealth. Under Jón Arason , Hólar was the last remaining stronghold of Catholicism in Iceland during the Reformation . The religious conflict was brutally resolved in 1550 when the last Catholic bishop, Jón Arason, was taken to the south of Iceland and beheaded, with his two sons, in Skálholt. The best known Lutheran bishop of Hólar
32-588: The school, in Hólar í Hjaltadal is in the middle of the valley and leaves quite an impression. The mountain overlooking Hólar is called Hólabyrða and is 1,244 meters (4,081 feet) tall. The valley's innermost town is Reykir. The area produces geothermal energy and there is an old warm water spring named Biskupslaug (Bishop's Warm Spring). The spring, however, has been filled in. Travelers frequently passed through Hólar í Hjaltadal (Hólar in Hjaltadalur) because it
40-500: The valley, originating at Hjaltadalsjökull glacier located at the head of Hjaltadalur. Several tributaries and streams flow into Hjaltadalsá. Hjaltadalur is named after the settler Hjalti Þórðarson skálps (Hjalti, son of Þórður "the scabbard"). The Landnámabók states, "Hjalti, the son of Þórður skálpur came to Iceland and settled Hjaltadalur upon the advice of Kolbeinn and he lived at Hof; his sons were Þorvaldur and Þórður, both great men." The bishop's residence, and later
48-527: Was Guðbrandur Þorláksson . The construction of the present church is believed to have been completed in 1763. 65°43′55″N 19°06′49″W / 65.73194°N 19.11361°W / 65.73194; -19.11361 Hjaltadalur Hjaltadalur is a valley on the east side of Skagafjörður , Iceland that was previously a part of Hólahreppur . The majority of the valley is surrounded by 1,000–2,000-meter-tall mountains, and it intersects with various remote valleys. Hjaltadalsá river runs through
56-400: Was introduced to Hólar in 1530. Hólar Agricultural College was founded 1882, and was renamed Holar University College in 2003. Near the end of the 10th century, King Olaf I of Norway convinced his subjects to accept Christianity, then sent Christian missionaries to Iceland, where they were quickly accepted; around 1000 Icelanders made a peaceful decision that all should convert. Despite this,
64-688: Was the center of the church's power and of education in Iceland's northern region. Some of the main routes were: There are a good many towns in Hjaltadalur. In later years, a small village was formed in Hólar around Hólar University . On the east side of the valley are: On the west side of the valley are: All these towns were located in Hólahreppur , but the following towns in Viðvíkursveit can be considered part of Hjaltadalur because of
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