Icelandic Times - Land og saga

Visit the Settingfor Iceland’s Greatest Saga-The Saga Center in Hvolsvöllur offers a unique Chance to Stand in theFootprints of Iceland’s greatest HeroesThe most famous and acclaimed of all of the Icelandic Sagas is without adoubt Brennu Njáls Saga, or Njála as most Icelanders call it. It is an epicprose written in the thirteenth century by an unknown author whichtells the story of blood feud lasting fifty years. Njála is a highly complexwork telling the lives of memorable characters such as the powerful, yetpeaceful, warrior Gunnar Hámundarson from HlíðarendiHllh and hisfriend and title character Njáll from Bergþórshvoll, who were continuallysucked into power struggles and battles by both their enemies and theirown families.The Saga Centre in Hvolsvöllur offersyou a chance to actually visit thesites described in the story and learnmore about its characters throughthe informative Njála exhibition.There the story and principalcharacters are explained in greatdetail, richly illustrated with picturesand descriptions of their conflictsat fateful moments in the story.30Njála describes Icelandic society asit was approximately 1000 years ago;it offer magnificent characterizationof power struggles, torrid passions,strife, and skulduggery in a heathensociety that was about to becomeChristianized.Unforgettable ExperienceThe immediate surroundings ofthe Saga Centre are the actualhistorical setting of Njála itself. Thekey sites from the story are labeledwith the Saga Centre logo and inmany places there are informationsigns detailing how the site is relatedto the events and characters in Njála.All the sites are easily accessible toall visitors. The Saga Centre can beof assistance in hiring thoroughlyexperienced tour guides for largeand small groups alike, which is anexperience which will not easily beforgotten.Imagine standing on top of the samerock as the seemingly invincibleGunnar Hámundarson did whenhe fought off an ambush at the riverRangá. Gunnar had previously killeda man named Þorgeir Otkelsson anda nemesis of Gunnar had heard ofa prophecy saying Gunnar wouldmeet his demise if he were to slayanother member of Þorgeir’s family.So it was no coincidence that amongthe attackers was Þorgeir‘s son,which Gunnar of course killed.Fair is the bloomingmeadowA famous passage in the book iswhen Gunnar was being forced toexile from Iceland and took his lastlook over his homestead and spoke:„Fair is the blooming meadow.“ Afterviewing the meadow of HlíðarendiGunnar decided to stay in Iceland