History of the House
Buildings of this kind were sometimes built alongside turf farmhouses and served as precursors to the timber houses that would later become common. The journey and varied use of this building make its story unique. Though some of the original wood has been lost and the interior layout has changed each time it was rebuilt, the elegant exterior form has remained consistent.
Grund
Ólafur Briem, a master carpenter from Grund in Eyjafjörður, originally built the house at Espihóll in 1849 for his brother, Eggert Briem.
Hjaltastaðir
In 1861, Eggert became district commissioner in Skagafjörður and took the house with him. Timber was expensive, and it was worth the effort to dismantle and move the building. The wood was dragged over ice to Akureyri, loaded onto a ship, but rough seas at Hofsós made unloading impossible. Instead, the materials were transported by open boat to the safe harbor at Kolkuós and unloaded there. From Kolkuós, they were hauled inland to Hjaltastaðir in Blönduhlíð, where the house stood until 1872.
Reynistaður
In 1872, Eggert moved to Reynistaður and once again dismantled the house. The materials were dragged across the frozen Héraðsvötn river to a new foundation, where the building stood until 1884. It served as a residence, office, and event venue, especially during the district commissioner’s assembly week, known as Sæluvika (“The Week of Joy”), which included entertainment, social gatherings, and dancing. In 1876, a theatrical play was performed in the house, making it the oldest known “theater” in Iceland.
Gil
In 1884, Jóhannes Ólafsson of Gil became the new district commissioner and moved the office to his home. The house remained at Gil until 1890, when it was relocated to Sauðárkrókur and began to be known as Gilsstofa.
Sauðárkrókur
From 1890 to 1985, Gilsstofa stood in Sauðárkrókur, serving as a residence and, for a time, a shop.
Kringlumýri and Glaumbær
In 1985, the house was moved by truck to Kringlumýri in Blönduhlíð. It was finally reconstructed at Glaumbær between 1996 and 1997.
