Turf Church at Hof
Turf Church at Hof
Hof is a collection of farm buildings and guesthouses just off road 1. Here you'll find a turf church built in the typical style, with stone walls and a roof of stone slabs covered in turf.
The church at Hof is only one of six remaining in the country and it dates from 1884. It serves as the local parish church and is owned and maintained by the National Museum of Iceland.
It is not unusual in Iceland to find churches on farms. The reason for this is that until the beginning of the 20th century, Iceland was a largely rural society and there were few towns and villages. In those days, it was common for as many as 20 or 30 people to live on one farm.
It was, therefore, easier for people to attend a church at their own farm and the priest would travel around his parish holding services at the different churches.