Crafts & Design

Vikingaheimar is the home of the Viking Ship Íslendingur (the Icelander). Built in 1996, Icelander is an exact replica of the famous Gokstadship, a remarkable archaeological find of an almost completely intact Viking ship, excavated in Norway in 1882. Captain Gunnar Marel Eggertsson was inspired to build a replica of this beautiful ship based on his own background as shipbuilder and sailor. He copied the original nail for nail. In the year 2000, with a grant from the Leifur Eiríksson Commission of Iceland, he sailed from Iceland to New York, a journey of 4200 nautical miles. His voyage brought world-wide attention to Leif Eiriksson's and Bjarni Herjólfsson's discovery of America, dated, according to the Icelandic sagas, to exactly 1000 A.D. Building Icelander was an extraordinary achievement;at 23 metres long, 5.25 meters wide and with a holding capacity of 80 tons (by modern standards), it took 2 years of effort.The sail is 130 square meters and the mast is 18 meters in length. Made from pine and oak, scholars believe this was the most common type of ship in use during the Viking Age. Vikingaheimar is also a home to the exhibition The North Atlantic Viking Saga, originally shown at the Smithsonian Institution during the summer of 2000. Launched in Washington D.C. by King Hakon of Norway, and with a State Dinner at the White House, it then traveling to 6 other cities throughout North America. This exhibition, like the sailing of Icelander, celebrated the millennium anniversary of the Viking discovery of North America, shedding light on the latest scholarly research into the Norse settlement and explorations of unknown lands.Gunnar Marel and his crew of 8 left Iceland on Icelandic Independence day, the 17th of June, with a send off from the Prime Minister of Iceland. When it finally arrived in New York on October 5th-where it was greeted by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mayor Rudolf Guiliani--the ship had made stops at 22 harbors. In addition to the festivities with kings, queens, presidents and mayors, when the ship arrived, visitors also streamed to see it while it was docked at each location, all told about 450,000 people came on board. These two fine projects, both celebrating Iceland's central role in the discovery of North America 1000 years ago by the Norse Vikings, have now found a permanent home in Vikinga Aldan (Viking Wave), the central building on the Vikingaheimar grounds. A spectacular modern building, it also offers beautiful views of the surrounding bay, Faxaflói. These two fine projects, both celebrating Iceland's central role in the discovery of North America 1000 years ago by the Norse Vikings, have now found a permanent home in Vikinga Aldan (Viking Wave), the central building on the Vikingaheimar grounds. A spectacular modern building, it also offers beautiful views of the surrounding bay, Faxaflói.

Urta Islandica’s Gourmet Local Products Family company that produces delightful teas, syrups, salts, and jams. Urta Islandica is a family-run business that specializes in producing and selling artisan products made from local Icelandic ingredients. The products, which are sold at retailers around the country, offers unique herbal salts, teas and syrups, along with jams and gift boxes.  At Básvegur, Keflavik, Urta has set up perfect production and packing area for their goods. There they produce many varieties of delicious salts, syrups and jams. There is also a store where you can purchase all the goods and take a look into the production line.

VIGT is an interior design studio formed by a mother and three daughters. Our common interest is derived from our experience in the interior furnishings and construction industry. We have all worked for the family company, Grindin, which has built a number of houses and furnished them since 1979.   The majority of our products are made in our workshop. We carefully choose the manufacturers that we collaborate with, whether in Iceland or abroad.   Our workshop and store are located in the house where the fishermen used to come by to weigh their catch. The house has a special meaning to us, it was built by our grandfather.   We seek inspiration in each other and our background and origin, wood

For many years Kristinsson has given homes charm with his high-quality interior and furniture made of unadulterated wood straight from nature. His store and workshop are housed in a beautiful old fashion house that Kristinsson built himself, located in the heart of Grindavík at Stamphólsvegur 1.  How about getting something pretty in your home that always reminds you of Iceland?

Sossa is an Icelandic painter and Fulbright Scholar. She’s a graduate from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts as well as a Master of Fine Arts from Tufts University and School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.  Her paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries and at international art exhibitions throughout Europe, North America, and Asia including:  The International Beijing Biennale in China, Koppelman Gallery in Massachusetts, Galleri Sct. Gertrud in Copenhagen, Mac Gowan Fine Art in the United States, Aalborg Art Association in Denmark, Galeria de Arte in Portugal, at the Danish Ministries Art Association, Florence Biennale in Italy, Art Apart Fair in Singapore, and at Gallerí Fold in Reykjavik Iceland.

Duus Handverk is a little store of handmade gift products of wool, glass, and more beautiful things from a group of 20 local artists. A better selection is hard to find anywhere else in Iceland but in Duus Handverk. Take a walk by the small boat pier in Keflavík, Duusgata 12 Keflavík, where you can find something at a reasonable price for yourself or as a unique gift from Iceland. Duus Handverk will welcome you with coffee, a copy atmosphere, and love of colors.