The Story of Bardur Snaefellsas
The Story of Bardur Snaefellsas
A sculpture of Bardur Snaefellsas by Ragnar Kjartansson stands above the cliffs at Arnarstapi.
Due to dealings with his fellow men, Bardur became so depressed that he decided he no longer wanted to live among humans and descended into Snaefellsjokull, where the giant and the glacier became one.
As the ‘guardian spirit’, locals worshipped him and called upon him in times of trouble.
From then on it is believed that Bardur watched over the area, becoming known as Bardur Snaefellsas – or the god of the glacier.
The tale also tells of his gold which is said to lie in Bardarkista (Bárður's chest), a chest-shaped mountain on the flank of Snaefellsjokull.