Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft

Top choice in The Westfjords


The multilingual displays at this award-winning museum brilliantly convey dark, dramatic tales. Unlike the witches of New England's Salem trials, most of Iceland’s convicted witches were men. Often 'occult practices' were simply old Viking traditions or superstitions, but hidden grimoires (magic books) full of puzzling runic designs were proof enough for the local witch hunters (the area's elite) to burn around 20 souls (mostly peasants) at the stake. Don't miss the detailed descriptions of the spells, and the startling ‘necropants’.

The tourist information centre is located here, as is Restaurant Galdur.

Another part of the museum, a turf-roofed Sorcerer’s Cottage, lies up the coast in Bjarnarfjörður.


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