History
According to the Landnámabók, this tranquil village between the cliffs and the river Skaftá was first settled by Irish monks (papar) before the Vikings arrived. Originally, it was known as Kirkjubær; the ‘klaustur’ bit was added in 1186 when a convent of Benedictine nuns was founded (near the modern-day church).
During the devastating Laki eruptions of the late 18th century, this area suffered greatly and, west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, you can see ruins of farms abandoned or destroyed by the lava stream. The lava field, Eldhraun, averages 12m thick. It contains over 12 cu km of lava and covers an area of 565 sq km, making it the largest recorded lava flow from a single eruption.
