Kirkjubøargarður ( Faroese for ''Yard of

Kirkjubøur Kirkjubøur () is the southernmost village on Streymoy, Faroe Islands. The village is located on the south-west coast of Streymoy and has a view towards the islands of Hestur and Koltur towards the west, and to Sandoy towards the south. It lies ...

'', also known as ''King's Farm'') is one of the oldest still inhabited wooden houses in the world, if not the oldest. The farm itself has always been the largest in the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ) (alt. the Faroes) are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. Located between Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, the islands have a populat ...

. The old

farmhouse FarmHouse (FH) is a men's social fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 34 active chapters in the United States and Canada.FarmHouse Fraternity New Memb ...

of Kirkjubøur dates back to the 11th century. It was the episcopal residence and seminary of the

Diocese of the Faroe Islands The former Roman Catholic Diocese of the Faroe Islands existed from the 11th century to the Protestant Reformation. The Faroe Islands are now included in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Copenhagen. History As recorded in the Færeyinga saga, Sigmu ...

, from about 1100. The legend says that the wood for the block houses came as

driftwood Driftwood is a wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea, lake, or river by the action of winds, tides or waves. It is part of beach wrack. In some waterfront areas, driftwood is a major nuisance. However, the driftwood provides ...

from

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

and was accurately bundled and numbered, just for being set up. Note that there is no forest in the Faroes, with the exception of a wood in northern

Tórshavn Tórshavn (; ; Danish language, Danish: ''Thorshavn''), usually locally referred to as simply Havn, is the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the northwest of th ...

, and wood is a very valuable material. Many such wood legends are thus to be found in Faroese history. The oldest part is a so-called ''roykstova'' (reek parlour, or smoke room). Perhaps it was moved one day, because it does not fit to its foundation. Another ancient room is the ''loftstovan'' (loft room). It is supposed that

Bishop Erlendur Magnus Cathedral (, ) is a ruined cathedral in the village of Kirkjubøur on the island of Streymoy in the Faroe Islands. The ruins are the largest medieval building in the Faroe Islands. History Bishop Erlendur (1269–1308) started construct ...

wrote the ' Sheep Letter' here in 1298. This is the earliest document of the Faroes we know today. It is the statute concerning sheep breeding on the Faroes. Today the room is the farm's library. The ''stórastovan'' (large room) is from a much later date, being built in 1772. Though the farmhouse is a museum, the 17th generation of the Patursson family, which has occupied it since 1550, still lives there. Shortly after the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

in the Faroe Islands in 1538, all the real estate of the Catholic Church was seized by the

King of Denmark The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional political system, institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous administrative division, autonomous territories of the Faroe Is ...

. This was about half of the land in the Faroes, and since then called "King's Land" (). The largest piece of King's Land was the farm in Kirkjubøur due to the above-mentioned episcopal residence. This land is today owned by the Faroese government, and the Paturssons are

tenants A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to hold land or property in which a lessee or a tenant has rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord. Although a tenant does hold rights to real property, a lea ...

from generation to generation. It is always the oldest son who becomes ''King's Farmer'', and in contrast to the privately-owned land, the King's Land is never divided between the sons. The farm holds sheep, cattle and some horses. It is possible to get a coffee here and buy fresh mutton and beef directly from the farmer. In the winter season there is also hare hunting for the locals. Groups can rent the ''roykstovan'' for festivities and will be served original

Faroese cuisine Important parts of Faroese cuisine are lamb and also fish owing to proximity to the sea. Traditional foods from the Faroe Islands include skerpikjøt (a type of dried mutton), seafood, whale meat, blubber, garnatálg, Atlantic puffins, potatoe ...

. Other notable buildings near the farmhouse are the

Magnus Cathedral Magnus Cathedral (, ) is a ruined cathedral in the village of Kirkjubøur on the island of Streymoy in the Faroe Islands. The ruins are the largest medieval building in the Faroe Islands. History Bishop Erlendur (1269–1308) started construct ...

and Saint Olav's Church, which also date back to the medieval period.

People

Notable people who were born here or lived here for a period: * Sverre I of Norway (1151–1202), grew up here and went to the priest school. *

(d. 1308), wrote the Sheep Letter and built the

. * Súsanna Helena Patursson (1864–1916), first feminist of the Faroes. * King's farmer

Jóannes Patursson Jóannes Patursson (May 6, 1866 – August 2, 1946) was a Faroe Islands, Faroese nationalist leader and poet. He served as a member of the Parliament of Denmark and the Løgting, Parliament of the Faroe Islands. Background Jóannes was born ...

(1866–1946), oldest brother of Helena, nationalist leader and writer. * Sverre Patursson (1871–1960) brother of Helena and Jóannes, writer, journalist and environmentalist. *

Erlendur Patursson Erlendur Patursson (20 August 1913 – 16 June 1986) was a Faroe Islands, Faroese politician and writer. Erlendur was born in 1913 in Kirkjubøur. He was the son of the politician Jóannes Patursson. He became Cand.polit., cand.pol. in 1940 ...

(1913–1986), son of Jóannes, writer and nationalist politician. *

Tróndur Patursson Tróndur Patursson (born 1 March 1944 in Kirkjubøur) is a Faroese painter, sculptor, glass artist and explorer. He was educated in Norway and was initially a sculptor. He has since become better known as a painter and glass artist. In February 2 ...

(born 1944), great-grandson of Jóannes, artist and adventurer.

Images

External links

*Kirkjubøargarður officia
website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkjuboargardur Museums in the Faroe Islands Open-air museums Living museums Wooden houses Houses in Denmark Outdoor structures in Denmark