Kirkjubøur

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View over Kirkjubøur to Hestur and Koltur. Saint Olav's church in the foreground is the oldest church in the Faroes

Map showing the position of Kirkjubøur on Streymoy

Jógvan Waagstein: Í Kirkjubø 1924 (Village of Kirkjubøur)
Stamp FO 534 of Postverk Føroya
Issued: 19 September 2005

Kirkjubøur is the southernmost village on Streymoy, Faroe Islands and the country's most important historical site.

• Population: 80
• Postal code (Zip): FO 175
• Location: 61°57′22″N, 6°47′37″W
• Municipality: Torshavnar

It is located on the west coast and has a view towards the islands Hestur and Koltur.

[edit] History

The village was important in the Middle Ages. At that time it was the Episcopal residence and as such the spiritual centre of the society. In those days the village is said to have had around 50 houses. The majority of these houses were washed away by a fierce storm in the 16th century.

There are three main attractions from this time:

• The ruins of the Magnus Cathedral (appointed as World Heritage Site) from about 1300.
• The oldest still used church of the Faroes, Saint Olav's Church from 12th century.
• The oldest still inhabited wooden house of the world, Kirkjubøargarður from 11th century.

[edit] People

Many prominent people come from Kirkjubøur or have been living here:

• Sverre I of Norway (1151-1202), grew up here.
• Bishop Erlendur (?-1308), who build the Magnus Cathedral and wrote the Sheep letter, the oldest document of the country.
• Súsanna Helena Patursson (1864-1916), first feminist of the Faroes.
• Jóannes Patursson (1866-1946), nationalist leader and writer.
• Sverre Patursson (1871-1960), writer, journalist and environmentalist.
• Erlendur Patursson (1913-1986), writer and nationalist politician.
• Tróndur Patursson (b. 1944), artist and adventurer.

[edit] The Cathedral Ruins

Pictures of the ruins of the Magnus Cathedral featured on a series of Faroese stamps in 1988:

FR 169: The Cathedral. Note the lovely detail of ewe and lamb in the foreground.

FR 170: Detail of a gothic arc.

FR 171: The crucifixion on an indoor wall.

FR 172: Inside the ruins.

[edit] Kirkjubøur pew ends

The mediaeval carved pew ends from Saint Olav's church are now to be found in the National Museum of the Faroe Islands. These featured in three series of Faroese stamps, engraved by Czeslaw Slania.

1980 series:

FR 49: Maria and Baby Jesus

FR 50: St. John the Baptist

FR 51: St. Peter

FR 52: St. Paul

1984 series:

FR 087: Saint John, the Evangelist.

FR 088: Saint James.

FR 089: Saint Thomas.

FR 090: Saint Judas Thadeus.

2001 series:

FR 379: Saint Andrew.

FR 380: Saint Bartholomew.

FR 381: Unidentified apostle.

FR 382: Unidentified apostle.

[edit] See also

• List of towns in the Faroe Islands

[edit] External links

• Faroeislands.dk: Kirkjubøur Images and description of all cities on the Faroe Islands.

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Kirkjubøur