Kirkjubøur

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

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

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.

Contents

1 History
2 People
3 The Cathedral Ruins
4 Kirkjubøur pew ends
5 See also
6 External links

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.

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.

The Cathedral Ruins

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

Image:Faroe stamp 169 cathedral ruins in kirkjubour.jpg|FR 169: The Cathedral. Note the lovely detail of ewe and lamb in the foreground. Image:Faroe stamp 170 cathedral ruins in kirkjubour.jpg|FR 170: Detail of a gothic arc. Image:Faroe stamp 171 cathedral ruins in kirkjubour.jpg|FR 171: The crucifixion on an indoor wall. Image:Faroe stamp 172 cathedral ruins in kirkjubour.jpg|FR 172: Inside the ruins.

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: Image:Faroe stamp 049 pew end from kirkjubour - maria and baby jesus.jpg|FR 49: Maria and Baby Jesus Image:Faroe stamp 050 pew end from kirkjubour - st john the babtist.jpg|FR 50: St. John the Baptist Image:Faroe stamp 051 pew end from kirkjubour - st peter.jpg|FR 51: St. Peter Image:Faroe stamp 052 pew end from kirkjubour - st paul.jpg|FR 52: St. Paul

1984 series: Image:Faroe stamp 087 pew ends from kirkjubour - st john.jpg|FR 087: Saint John, the Evangelist. Image:Faroe stamp 088 pew ends from kirkjubour - st james.jpg|FR 088: Saint James. Image:Faroe stamp 089 pew ends from kirkjubour - st thomas.jpg|FR 089: Saint Thomas. Image:Faroe stamp 090 pew ends from kirkjubour - st judas thaddeus.jpg|FR 090: Saint Judas Thadeus.

2001 series: Image:Faroe stamp 379 the kirkjubour pew ends - st andrew.jpg|FR 379: Saint Andrew. Image:Faroe stamp 380 the kirkjubour pew ends - st bartholomew.jpg|FR 380: Saint Bartholomew. Image:Faroe stamp 381 the kirkjubour pew ends - unidentified apostle.jpg|FR 381: Unidentified apostle. Image:Faroe stamp 382 the kirkjubour pew ends - unidentified apostle.jpg|FR 382: Unidentified apostle.

External links

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