ICELANDIC CULTURAL HERITAGE

There has been a lack of accessible books about Iceland's cultural heritage to guide visitors on their travels around the country, and to be taken home when they leave. And in fact Iceland's culture has not been given the prominence it deserves in promotion of the country. So it is time to redress the balance.

The Salka publishing house has published the first four volumes of a new series on Iceland's Cultural Heritage by designer Björn G. Björnsson. Published in Icelandic and English editions, the books are: Writers' Homes, Turf Churches, 18th-century Stone Buildings and Large Turf Houses.

Iceland's Cultural Heritage is an innovative series, exploring historical places, cultural sites and masterpieces of Icelandic architecture. In a compact and handy format, the books are lavishly illustrated, with concise informative texts. Each volume includes a map showing all the locations in the book, together with useful information. The new series meets a real need, as such publications have been lacking, while the emphasis has tended to be on the glories of Icelandic nature.

The content of the first four volumes is:

LARGE TURF HOUSES
This book showcases Iceland's large turf houses: Árbær in Reykjavík, Glaumbær in Skagafjörður, Laufás in Eyjafjörður, Grenjaðarstaður in Aðaldalur, Þverá in Laxárdalur, Bustarfell in Vopnafjörður and Keldur in Rangárvellir. We also take a look at the composite farmhouse at the Skógar Heritage Museum.

18TH CENTURY STONE BUILDINGS
Eight fine stone buildings were constructed by the government in 1753-77: four residences for officials, and four churches. Designed by Denmark's leading court architects, they combine simplicity with elegance. Those are Viðey House, Hólar Cathedral, Nes House, Bessastaðir House, the former jail in Reykjavík, now Government House, and finally three churches: on Viðey island, the Westman Islands and at Bessastaðir in 1777.

TURF CHURCHES
Today only five turf churches remain standing in Iceland, more or less in their original form: Víðimýri Church and Gröf Church in Skagafjörður, Saurbær Church in Eyjafjörður, Hof Church in Öræfi and Núpsstaður Chapel. A sixth church, at the Árbær Museum in Reykjavík, was constructed from the timbers of an old church at Silfrastaðir in Skagafjörður.

WRITERS' HOMES
In this volume we visit the former homes of some of Iceland's literary giants, and museums that commemorate them, from the medieval geothermal pool of Snorri Sturluson at Reykholt to the swimming pool at Gljúfrasteinn, home of Nobel prizewinner Halldór Laxness. In the north we visit the birthplace of Jónas Hallgrímsson, and in Akureyri the homes of three writers: Jón Sveinsson, Davíð Stefánsson and Matthías Jochumsson. Gunnar Gunnarsson's home at Skriðuklaustur is unique and impressive, and at Hali in the south we learn about Þórbergur Þórðarson.

English translations are by Anna Yates. Margrét Hallgrímsdóttir, Director of the National Museum of Iceland, contributes a foreword to Turf Churches.

Texts and photographs are by Björn G. Björnsson, who also designs the books.