Gásir is a very special place in Eyjafjörður fjord. It is hard to believe it now, but Gásir was the main trading post in Northern Iceland in the Middle Ages.
It remained a trading place for 4 centuries from the 11th century until the 15th century. During the summertime, a village (a camp) formed as the ships arrived and departed.
Gásir is unique, as it is the only place where so many antiquities from a medieval trading post can be found.
Top photo: Vikings from the Rimmugýgur Viking Club at Gásir
If you read the Icelandic Sagas, you will find that Gásir is mentioned there many times. One of them is the Sturlunga Saga, which was written from the first part of the 12th century until 1262.
Expensive goods were traded at Gásir, e.g., live falcons and sulfur. But also fish, fish oil, and woven goods.
Every third weekend in July, a 4-day festival, the Medieval Days, is held at Gásir, where the medieval trading place is recreated. The supposed villagers look like real people from the Middle Ages, dressed in medieval costumes.
You can walk around the recreated trading place and learn about old Nordic crafts; how wool was spun, tanning, how sulfur was purified, and woodcarvers and blacksmiths show their trade, to name a few.
It is so much fun, like stepping back in time to the Middle Ages. Here, one can watch medieval sword fighting, a medieval play showing events from Gásir, a market, etc.
At the festival, one can learn some skills, f.ex. archery, where people can try to shoot a bow and arrow, chop wood with an axe, and much more.
As the villagers are dressed in medieval clothes, one can get some great shots here. I felt like I had just stepped back in time with my camera :)
Gásir is a preserved area under the care of the Icelandic Archaeological Preservation. We got to go on a guided tour of parts of the archaeological area during the Medieval Days festival.
Our guide was dressed in medieval clothes, and it was a delight listening to her tell us about this remarkable place.
In 1907 and 1986, experimental research was conducted at Gásir.
Archaeological research at Gásir took place from 2001 to 2006 and was conducted by the Museum of Akureyri (Minjasafn Akureyrar), the National Museum of Iceland, and the Icelandic Institute of Archaeology.
Nowhere in Iceland have such antiquities from a medieval trading post been found as at Gásir.
Here at Gásir, the biggest collection of pottery breakage in Iceland has been found. The pottery breakage is from the 14th and 15th centuries and originated in Germany and England. A red cent has also been found here at Gásir.
Archaeological excavations have shown that Gásir was a trading post until the 16th century.
The archaeological site is north of the festival site, and you will find an information sign just above the ruins.
I have written another travel blog about Viking Ruins and Burial Mounds I have visited on my travels around my country, which lists all the archaeological sites and burial mounds I have visited in Iceland.
There is admission to the festival, but children shorter than a medieval sword visit the area for free :) We attended the festival for 2 days because we were staying in a cottage in the next village, Hauganes, for a week.
From that village, you can go whale watching and sea angling.
If you are ever travelling in North Iceland in the third week of July, don't miss visiting Gásir. There is plenty of history, fun, and photo opportunities. Gásir is only 11 km north of Akureyri, the capital city of the North.
Also, check out:
Many interesting guided tours by Saga Travel GeoIceland up north
Now, if you want to carry on reading about what there is to see and do in Eyjafjörður, then there are five parts left of my 8-part travel blog:
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part I - Hrísey Island, the Pearl of EyjafjörðurI
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part II - Dalvík & the Great Fish Day
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part III - the Historic Gásir and the Vikings
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part IV - The Deacon of Dark River - A Ghost Story from North-Iceland
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part V - Mt. Hraundrangi in Öxnadalur and Hörgárdalur Valleys
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part VI - Akureyri - the Capital City of North-Iceland
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part VII - the Christmas House is open all Year round
Eyjafjörður fjord up North - part VIII - Historic Churches in the Mouth of the Fjord
You can rent a car in Reykjavík and drive up north in a day or two, as Akureyri is 388 km from Reykjavík, with lots of interesting stops on the way.
Have a lovely time at Gásir :)
