Laxdal House Travel Guide

Laxdalshús in Akureyri. Photo: Bromr, CC BY-SA 3.0

Laxdalshús (Laxdal House) at Hafnarstræti 11 is the oldest building in Akureyri, North Iceland. It was built in 1795 as the home and trading post of a Danish merchant house, which makes it the only 18th-century building still standing in the town.

It sits in Innbærinn, the old inner town south of the modern centre, on what was the shoreline of Eyjafjörður before land was reclaimed. The house is named after Eggert Laxdal, the Icelandic merchant who managed the trading business here from 1874 for 40 years and lived in the house until about 1900.

Key Takeaways About Laxdalshús

• Built in 1795 for the Danish Kyhn trading company; the only 18th-century building left in Akureyri
• Named after merchant Eggert Laxdal, manager from 1874; first home of the district library in 1827
• Protected in the late 1970s, restored and reopened in June 1984; used for events and most recently as a choir rehearsal space, so the interior opens only for events
• Free to view from Hafnarstræti, about 1 km (12 to 15 minutes on foot) south of the town centre
• Pair it with Nonnahús and the Akureyri Museum about 500 to 600 m to the south

Why visit Laxdalshús

Akureyri was a Danish trading station long before it became a town, and Laxdalshús is the clearest surviving trace of that period. It was built for the Kyhn trading company (Kyhns-verslun) of Copenhagen, one of several Danish firms that controlled commerce in Eyjafjörður.

Kyhn himself traded from the house until 1808, when he was convicted of financial offences and his creditors took over.

The property then passed through a string of foreign companies, including Pachen & Co. of Hamburg, Dehn & Co. of Altona and, from 1817, the Gudmann firm, before Eggert Laxdal became manager in 1874, stayed for some 40 years and gave the house its name.

The building has had a second life as a public space. In 1827 it became the first home of the new district library (Amtsbókasafn), lending books free of charge. In 1943 the municipality bought it to house people without homes; 22 people were living in it at the time.

It survived the two great fires that destroyed much of old Akureyri in 1901 and 1912, was listed as a protected building in the late 1970s, and after a full restoration by master builder Sverrir Hermannsson reopened in June 1984.

Since then it has been used for exhibitions, offices and for a time a restaurant, and most recently as the rehearsal space of the chamber choir Hymnodia. In February 2026 the town advertised the house for a new tenant, so its use may change; the interior remains open only when an event is on.

Architecturally it is a single-storey, tarred-black timber house with a steep roof, dormers and small-paned white windows, the standard form of a Danish-Icelandic merchant's house of the period, set on a later concrete foundation.

Next to the restored houses of Hafnarstræti and the nearby Nonnahús and Akureyri Museum, it anchors a street that shows how the town looked in the 19th century.

How to get to Laxdalshús

• From Reykjavík: Akureyri is about 390 km north on Route 1 (the Ring Road), 4.5 to 5 hours of driving, or a 45-minute flight to Akureyri Airport. The airport is about 2 km south of the house.
• In town: Laxdalshús is at Hafnarstræti 11 in Innbærinn, about 1 km south of the main shopping street and Akureyrarkirkja, a 12 to 15 minute walk along Hafnarstræti or the shore path. From the cruise and whale-watching pier it is around 1.5 km.
• Parking: on-street parking in Innbærinn; the Akureyri Museum, about 500 m further south, has a car park.
• Public transport: Akureyri's town buses are free to use; check the current route map for the stop nearest Innbærinn.

No 4x4 or special access is needed. The street is paved and flat.

Best time to visit

Laxdalshús is seen from the street at any time of year. Summer (June to August) gives long light and the Innbærinn gardens in leaf; in September the rowan trees in front of the house turn colour and carry red berries.

In winter the old town is quiet and often under snow, and the walk from the centre is still easy on cleared pavements. Check whether a concert or exhibition is scheduled if you want to see the interior.

Laxdalshús in Akureyri's old town. Photo: G. Mannaerts, CC BY-SA 4.0

Safety and practical tips

• The house is not a conventional museum with daily opening hours. It is let for cultural use and occasional events, so the interior is open only when something is on. The exterior and the street are freely accessible.
• There is no entrance fee to view it from outside.
• Combine it with Nonnahús and the Akureyri Museum (both open daily, shorter hours in winter, admission charged) 500 to 600 m to the south, and with Akureyrarkirkja and the town centre to the north.
• Winter pavements can be icy; wear shoes with grip.
• Please respect that neighbouring buildings in Innbærinn are private homes.