Visit to Gljúfrasteinn - the former home of Halldór Laxness

Our recent visit to Gljúfrasteinn, the former home of Halldór Laxness left a lasting impression. Gljúfrasteinn was home to Laxness and his family for half a century, and walking through its doors felt like stepping into a preserved moment in literary history.

The house remains remarkably intact, offering the opportunity to experience the atmosphere in which one of Iceland’s most significant writers lived and worked. As Iceland’s Nobel Prize–winning author (a distinction that needs little introduction at home, but might be worth noting for international visitors) Laxness holds a unique place in the country’s cultural history. 

The house contains an excellent collection of Icelandic artworks and beautiful designed furniture.Especially the spacious living room with the grand piano on the ground floor and Laxness’ study upstairs left us impressed. In his study his library still lines the walls(and we found it of course very interesting to see which titles were in there), and his standing desk remains exactly where he worked. You can almost still picture him there, standing at his desk writing.

Inspired by our visit, we’re proud to offer many editions of Halldór Laxness’ works at Bókin, along with a wide selection of books about his life and legacy. Whether you have long admired his writing or are just discovering it for the first time, we warmly invite you to explore his remarkable world!