Directions to Glaumbær museum
On the museum grounds of Glaumbær, you will find old and traditional Icelandic turf houses and two wooden houses (Áshús and Gilsstofa).
Photo by: Maedi
In the turf houses, there is an exhibition of everyday objects from that time. Traditional Icelandic sweets are served at the tea house of Áshús, and in Gilsstofa you can buy souvenirs.
The rooms in the turf houses date from different periods of the 18th and 19th centuries. The turf building style characterizes the Icelandic houses in the countryside until the early 20th century. Afterwards the typical architectural style gave way to concrete.
The structures consist of two thin layers of wood in the walls, with a thick layer of turf as insulation between them and on top. Grass grows lush in Iceland, and so the turf will get a strong network of roots over time. It is very important that the roof has the correct slope. If it is too flat, the water will seep through. If it is too steep, then the turf layer dries out because the water streams off too quickly.
Practical information:
34 km from Grettislaug, you will find Glaumbær, a museum with old, traditional turf houses. Head south, first via Route 748, then via Route 744 and finally on Route 75.