Kirkjubøur (Settlement) – Trap The Faroe Islands

© Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Infrastruktur

Kirkjubøur’s old white-painted parish church from the Middle Ages is protected from the sea by walls. Above the parish church is the old King’s yeoman’s farm, which was built on the old episcopal residence. The ruins of the Magnus Cathedral can be seen on the far right. ÓLAVUR FREDERIKSEN, 2019

Kirkjubøur has 88 inhabitants and covers 39 merkur of copyhold land, which is divided between four copyhold tenants; one of whom is native to the markatal settlement area in the village of Argir. The sheep herd consists of 702 animals.

From the village, you can see Kirkjubøhólmur, which was once connected to the mainland. It is said that during the violent storm called Kyndilsmessan harða on 2 February 1602, large, low-lying land areas were washed away and created the islet. This storm was also felt in Saksun. Furthermore, it is said that Sverri, who later became king of Norway under the name Sverre Sigurdsson, was born in Sverrishola, a rock cave above the village.

The old Catholic episcopal residence seat with a bishop’s palace called Ólavskirkjan or Mariakirkjan, which is the Faroe Islands’ oldest parish church, dates from the 13th century.

Kirkjubøur is an agricultural village where Gazet Patursson for many years also had a market garden with vegetables and plants, which were mainly sold in Tórshavn. The farmer, politician and poet Jóannes Patursson lived in the village, and so did his youngest son, the politician Erlendur Patursson, in his older years. The author and globetrotter Sigert Patursson, who in 1901 wrote the book Siberia Today, was born in Kirkjubøur. The artist Tróndur Patursson also lives here.

Today, the village is one of the Faroe Islands’ main tourist attractions.

Further reading