The Commonwealth Farm, or Þjóðveldisbærinn in Icelandic, offers an interactive Viking experience inside a full-scale recreation of a medieval Icelandic turf farm in the Thjorsardalur Valley of South Iceland. It is modeled on the nearby archaeological site of Stong, an 11th-century chieftain's farm buried by an eruption of Mt. Hekla in 1104.
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The farm sits off the beaten track, so it works best for travelers with a rental car in Iceland. It is just under a two-hour drive from Reykjavik, and makes an easy detour from a slow-paced summer self-drive tour of South Iceland.
Inside the turf walls you can dress in medieval clothing, weave on a loom, and see how Iceland's first settlers cooked, slept, and stayed warm. Read on for what to see, how to get there, and what to combine it with nearby.
Photo above from Flickr, by Rita Willaert. No edits made.
What to Know About the Commonwealth Farm
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The Commonwealth Farm is a recreation of a Viking-age turf longhouse, not the original ruins. The real Stong site lies about 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) to the north.
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It is open daily from May 1 to October 15, from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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You can pay admission on site or book your Commonwealth Farm entrance ticket ahead. Children under 6 years enter free.
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The site includes a turf longhouse and a stave church consecrated in 2000.
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It featured in Game of Thrones season four as a Wildling-raided village.
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There are no food services on site, so bring water and a snack.
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It pairs naturally with the Gjain Valley, Haifoss Waterfall, and Hjalparfoss Waterfall.
The History of the Commonwealth Farm
Photo from the Commonwealth Farm Viking Exhibition
The Commonwealth Farm recreates a high-status Icelandic farm as it would have looked around 1100, during the era of the Icelandic Commonwealth. Building work began in 1974 to mark the 1,100th anniversary of the Settlement of Iceland, and the farm was formally opened on June 24, 1977.
The design copies the size, floorplan, and features of the excavated Stong Farm as closely as possible. Where the archaeology ran out, the builders drew on medieval texts and informed reconstruction, much as a historical novel fills in detail. The work was led by Hörður Ágústsson, an expert in medieval Icelandic architecture.
The buildings are made with stone and turf using traditional methods. Turf houses kept Icelanders warm through hard winters with the limited materials the landscape offered.
A wooden stave church was added in 2000, its design drawn from a medieval church excavated nearby at Stong. Built with Norwegian timber, it was a gift from Norway marking 1,000 years of Christianity in Iceland.
Inside, the farm works as a living exhibit. You can dress in medieval clothing, play board games in the hall, and try the loom, which makes it an engaging stop for families and history lovers alike.
Daily Life at the Commonwealth Farm
Daily life centered on the main hall, where a long fire ran down the middle. Around it, the household worked, ate, rested, and told stories through the long winters.
Survival depended on near-total self-sufficiency, since this was an age with none of the conveniences we take for granted. The land supplied the raw materials for food, building, and tools. Seasonal farming and animal husbandry filled the year, and food, clothing, and skins were all prepared by hand.
Several generations lived together under one roof, alongside workers, enslaved people, and others attached to the household. The family cared for its children, its elders, and the sick. Walking through the recreated rooms, from the hall to the sleeping quarters, gives you a direct sense of how close and communal that life was.
The Archaeological Ruins at Stong
Photo from the Private Vikings and Waterfalls Tour
The farm's deepest draw is its link to the real archaeology at Stong, the chieftain's farm it recreates. Stong was one of the largest farms in a settlement that filled the Thjorsardalur Valley in the 11th and 12th centuries, home to an estimated 400 to 600 people across roughly 22 farms.
That prosperity came from fertile, ash-enriched soil, and the same volcano that fed it destroyed it. Hekla, one of the most explosive volcanoes in Iceland, erupted in 1104 and forced the valley to be abandoned.
The farms lay buried for more than 800 years until a Nordic team excavated several of them in 1939, the first time trained archaeologists studied Icelandic ruins. Most were covered over again, and only Stong remains visible above ground today.
The real ruins sit about 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) north of the recreation, which was built close by but in a far more accessible spot.
Stong is remembered as the home of Gaukur Trandilsson, a wealthy warrior whose own saga is referenced in other medieval tales but has been lost. What survives is a fragment of a tragic story.
A medieval verse recalls the days when Gaukur lived at Stong and the short road to Steinastadir, hinting at his affair with Þuríður, a married woman and the cousin of his foster-brother Ásgrímur. Ásgrímur killed Gaukur, and the Book of Settlements records that Þuríður was later stoned to death.
The Commonwealth Farm and Game of Thrones
The Commonwealth Farm is one of the Game of Thrones filming locations in Iceland. In season four, episode three, it stands in for a small northern village raided by the Wildlings on their way to attack Castle Black. In the scene, a boy named Olly survives the raid and rides to warn the Night's Watch. That makes it a rewarding stop on Game of Thrones tours in Iceland.
How to Get to the Commonwealth Farm
The Commonwealth Farm is in the Thjorsardalur Valley in South Iceland, around 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Reykjavik. The drive takes just under two hours, and compact cars reach the farm in summer.
From the city, take Route 49 east, then join the Ring Road (Route 1). Follow it through the town of Selfoss, turn left onto Route 30, then right onto Route 32. The farm is signposted to the right.
The site sits on the verge of the Highlands, so both the drive and the destination serve up dramatic scenery. It is a short, easy walk from the parking area up to the farm.
If you would rather not drive, several guided tours include the farm:
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Haifoss and Thjorsardalur Day Tour: A small-group day tour that pairs the farm with the valley's waterfalls, including the towering Haifoss.
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Private Vikings and Waterfalls Tour: A private jeep tour with a guide, combining the farm with Stong, Gjain, and Haifoss for a deeper dive into Viking history.
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Secret Circle Jeep Tour: A private small-group tour of the wider valley, a quieter alternative to the busy Golden Circle.
On the guided tours, the farm's own entrance fee is usually not included, so you can decide on the day whether to go inside.
Top 5 Things to Do Near the Commonwealth Farm
The surrounding Thjorsardalur Valley is part of the appeal, with waterfalls, an oasis, and the edge of the Highlands all within reach. Here are five of the best stops near the Commonwealth Farm. Note that some valley roads are rough, and are more accessible for travelers with a 4x4 vehicle.
5. Drive to the Fjallabak Nature Reserve
The farm is en route to the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, about 45.8 miles (74 kilometers) away. The reserve is best known for Landmannalaugar, where colorful rhyolite mountains rise above natural hot springs you can bathe in. It also marks the start of the famous Laugavegur hiking trail.
The drive follows Route 26 and then Route 208, one of Iceland's F-Roads, so drive it only in summer with a 4x4. If you would rather leave the rough roads to a guide, Super Jeep tours offer the most comfortable way to get there.
4. Continue to the Golden Circle
You can pair the farm with the Golden Circle, Iceland's most popular sightseeing route. Its nearest stop is the Geysir Geothermal Area, about 43.7 miles (70 kilometers) away via Route 30 and then Route 35, where the Strokkur Geyser erupts every few minutes.
Beyond it lie the thundering Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park, where two tectonic plates meet. It makes a long day, so consider splitting it over two days and staying at Golden Circle accommodation.
3. Stop at Hjalparfoss Waterfall
Just 1.1 miles (2 kilometers) from the farm, the twin-cascade Hjalparfoss is the easiest stop on the list and reachable by any car. Two falls tumble side by side into a single pool framed by basalt columns, a quick but rewarding photo stop right by the Thjorsardalur Valley road.
2. Explore the Gjain Valley
The Gjain Valley lies about 5.2 miles (8 kilometers) from the farm along Route 327, a green oasis of springs, waterfalls, and lava formations that also served as a Game of Thrones filming location. The road passes the original Stong ruins on the way, but its final stretch is a rough track with river crossings that requires a 4x4.
If you are driving a regular car, park at the Stong ruins and walk the marked trail down to the valley, about 15 to 20 minutes. Short trails then wind through the oasis, which makes a peaceful place to stop for a picnic.
1. See Haifoss Waterfall
Haifoss is one of Iceland's tallest waterfalls, plunging into a deep canyon beside its neighbor Granni Waterfall, and the viewpoint offers the valley's most spectacular scenery. It sits about 11.9 miles (19 kilometers) from the farm along the gravel Route 332, which a regular car can manage slowly in summer, though a 4x4 is recommended for the rough sections.
The road is best driven in summer and can close in poor conditions, so check current status at road.is. The canyon also featured as a backdrop in Stranger Things.
Make the Commonwealth Farm Part of Your South Iceland Trip
The Commonwealth Farm gives you something few places in Iceland can: a chance to experience the Saga Age and see how the country's early settlers actually lived. Paired with the waterfalls and valley scenery around it, it makes a rewarding half-day stop in South Iceland from Reykjavik.
The Highland roads beyond the farm open up for summer self-drives, putting Gjain Valley, Haifoss Waterfall, and the Fjallabak Nature Reserve within reach. These are rough gravel roads, so bring a 4x4 vehicle and check road conditions before setting out.
When those rough roads may still be closed, the paved Ring Road keeps the South Coast easy to combine with your visit, with Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara Beach, and the Dyrholaey Rock Arch all along the route. If you would rather not drive, South Coast tours cover the highlights from Reykjavik.
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