Although possibly Romans but surely Irish monks had gone before the Vikings, Iceland’s foundation is calculated as having started in 874. Iceland was an independent commonwealth when in 1104 the volcano Hekla in the southern region of Árnessýsla erupted, it had a devastating effect on the rivervalley of Þjórsá.
In the 1930s, 40 farms at Þjórsárdal (or Thjörsardalur) were excavated which so suddenly were destroyed back in 1104. A very well preserved one was the one at Stöng and it was decided to reconstruct it to mark the 1100th anniversary of first Viking settlement, 1974. The 11th century inhabitants of Stöng were chiefs in the district.
The reconstructed longhouse manor was built next to the original remains which due to their stone foundations are still visible. Besides of the reconstructed medieval farmstead, a small church is built, the way it could have been like in the same period. It displays replicas of typical furniture and other objects of this period before the Norwegians took over.
