Eiðar by Eiðavatn: Church and School History

Eiðar offers visitors concrete points of interest relating to its church, school and Eiðavatn. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Eiðar, these topics can help you decide whether the local history and connection to the lake match your interests. Eiðakirkja, the history of the school and the location of Kirkjumiðstöð Austurlands offer different perspectives: from historical references and the development of education to finding your bearings by the lakeshore.

Eiðakirkja and the history of the place

Eiðakirkja is a wooden church with a bell portal on its west gable. It is 10.11 metres long and 6.05 metres wide; the bell portal measures 1.51 metres in length and 1.93 metres in width. The west gable is the western gable end of the building and indicates the location of the portal. Those interested in church architecture will find here not only the building style but also precise measurements of the church and portal.

Eiðar was once a large farm, a chieftain’s seat and a church site. These historical roles give the place a context that extends beyond the church: farming, authority and religious life are all part of its past. Eiðakirkja is first mentioned in Bishop Páll Jónsson’s church register of 1197. Eiðar itself is first mentioned in Droplaugarsona saga, whose events are thought to take place around the turn of the second millennium. The saga and the church-register entry are two distinct reference points for the early history of the place.

The school in Eiðar

The history of education is also closely connected with Eiðar. In 1917, it was decided to make Eiðaskóli an Alþýðuskóli for Austurland. The following year, the school was transformed into the regional school Alþýðuskólinn á Eiðum. It was the first school of its kind in Iceland to be established by law, publicly owned and operated with public funds. The school continued until 1995. Its development can thus be understood as a sequence: the 1917 decision was followed by the 1918 transformation, after which the school continued to operate for many decades.

Finding your bearings by Eiðavatn

Kirkjumiðstöð Austurlands is on the east shore of Eiðavatn, slightly north of Eiðar’s main group of buildings. This location provides a practical point of reference within the area when exploring the buildings mentioned above and the lake. The buildings of Kirkjumiðstöð are on one level and are easily accessible inside, for example for wheelchair users. Check the current accessibility conditions before your trip to ensure your plans meet your needs.

Lakeshore and activities

There is a nine-hole disc golf course on the shore of Eiðavatn, established in summer 2018. Alongside the church and school history, a lakeside sports facility is therefore also part of the local landscape. There is another connection to the water through the summer-camp programme: the National Church of Iceland has held summer camps in Eiðar every summer since 1968. The programme includes outdoor activities and boat trips on the lake. The summer camps are for children and young people; their activities are part of the camp programme and are not a general visitor offering. When planning your trip, it is therefore helpful to distinguish between the disc golf course, a facility on the shore, and the boat trips, which are part of the summer camps.

Discover more destinations: Bjarnanes, þÓrshöfn, Svartiskogur, Brunnholl, Hámundarstaðir, Stöðvarfjörður, Hoffell, Kleppur

For the main travel overview: Austurland.