Kirkjubøargarður

The Kirkjubøargarður ( Faroese for " court of Kirkjubøur " also known as "King Farm " or " Roykstovan " known) from the 11th century is the oldest still inhabited wooden house in Europe. The farm itself was always the largest of the Faroe Islands.

History

The old farmhouse of Kirkjubøur dates back to the 11th century and was since 1100 the seat of the Diocese of the Faroe Islands and the associated Latin School (1541 resolved).

The legend tells that the blockhouse was initially the Sognefjord in Norway before it was torn down and bundled the wood accurately and numbered. Then it should be reached as driftwood on the Faroe Islands and needed only to be assembled.

The oldest part of the house is the so-called Stokkastovan ( log cabin ), which is Roykstovan (smoke room ) a bit younger, but even 900 years old. Maybe they once stood somewhere else, because it does not fit the present foundation, the walls of which are up to 2 meters thick. As elsewhere in the Faroe Islands here gathered the whole family with the staff and processed wool, cooked, danced the chain dance and sang old ballads. The old flue hole in the roof is now closed by a window, and the interior walls are impregnated by the smoke of centuries.

Another old space is the Loftstovan ( attic ). It is believed that Bishop Erlendur here 1298 letter penned the sheep, the oldest known document of the Faroe Islands. The Loftstovan was the office of the Faroese bishops. Today the space serves as a library of the peasant family. It was not until 1772 Stórastovan ( " great room" ) was built.

In the first book about the Faroe Islands, Færoæ & Færoa Reserata 1673 by Lucas Debes the King Farm is ( meant is the foundation ) as the only surviving " great stone house" in Kirkjubøur called, of which there should have existed beforehand.

Although today the house serves as a museum from May to September, lives here also the 17th generation of Patursson family that owns the yard since 1550 the royal lease letter. Shortly after the Reformation of the Faroe Islands in 1538, the entire land owned by the Catholic Church went over to the Danish crown. That was about half of the Faroe Islands, and since then is called " King Earth" ( kongsjørð ). The biggest piece of this earth king was the court of Kirkjubøur pursuant to the said bishopric. Today, the land of the Government of the Faroe belongs and the Paturssons are tenant farmers from generation to generation. It is always the eldest son inherits the farm and " Königbauer " is. This prevents that the country needs to be shared between various heirs. This contrasts with the private farmers whose plots are getting smaller.

The Paturssons brought forth some of the most influential people in the history of the Faroe Islands, and it is said that it is the old Roykstova tradition was responsible in King Farm with making sure that the Faroese language and culture over the centuries could be kept alive. Anyway, this environment has the later nationalist leader Jóannes Patursson its inception.

Current operation

The King Farm of Kirkjubøur keeps sheep, cattle and horses. There is a small cafe, and you can buy fresh meat direct from the farmer. In winter, are organized for the local rabbit hunts. The Roykstovan is often rented for parties. Here Faroese cuisine original.

The farm is one of the main attractions of the Faroe Islands and tourists.

Interest

The video Hail To The Hammer of Viking metal group Týr was 2003 included filmed here. Namely, the carousing in the Roykstovan.

Memorable people

The following people lived here:

• King Sverre Sigurdsson (1151-1202, went here for the Latin school and was later regarded as extraordinarily formed )
• Erland Bishop of the Faroe Islands (? -1308, Wrote here the Sheep Letter )
• Pætur Jákupsson ( Løgmaður the Faroe Islands from 1588 to 1601, kept a stock of sheep Briefs, until it came to Sweden )
• Susanna Helena Patursson (1864-1916, was the first Faroese feminist )
• Königbauer Jóannes Patursson (1866-1946, Helena's brother was one of the most important political leaders of the Faroe Islands )
• Sverre Patursson (1871-1960, brother of the above two, was the first Faroese environmentalists )
• Erlendur Patursson (1913-1986, Jóannes ' son, founded the Republican Party )
• Tróndur Patursson (* 1944, adventurer and artist has his studio in a neighboring building)