Historical and Cultural sites in Eskifjörður

Mjóeyri is a beautiful place outside the village in Eskifjörður. There is a lighthouse and a beach where it is fun to play.  Mjóeyri was the last execution site in Austurland, and there is an information board on the grave of the last man who was executed at Mjóeyri.  Today, Mjóeyri is a thriving tourism place where, among other things, you can get guidance around the area.

Randulff´s Sea House is located by the sea in Eskifjördur. It is during the summer months 2011 and Randulff´s restaurant serves dinner according to a traditional local menu in a unique atmosphere. Randulff´s seahouse is also open for groups by arrangement. Randulff's Sea House is open during the summer from 12 - 21 every day of the week. The chefs have made a marvelous menu that focuses on fresh and local ingredients.   Randulff´s Sea House is a beautifully preserved shore-building towards the eastern end of Eskifjörður. Today this fine old house preserves both many artifacts and a lingering atmosphere from the days when the establishment of a herring fishery led to the first real growth of the fjord towns of East Iceland in the late 19th and early 20th century. Built by Norwegian Peter Randulff in 1890, it provided a station for landing and processing herring caught within the fjord through to 1930 when there was no longer sufficient herring coming into the fjord to sustain the fishery. When herring finally returned to the seas off East Iceland in the late 1950s the fishery involved large ships fishing further off-shore and landing their catches at ports like Siglufjörður, Húsavík, and Vopnafjörður in the north. As a result, for the next 75 years, this sturdy old sea-house remained closed. In 1980 The East Iceland Maritime Museum (Sjóminjasafn Austurlands) became a part-owner of Randulff´s sea-house leading to the restoration of both the exterior of the building and the adjoining jetty. In 2003 the society became the sole owner of the house and in 2008 was re-opened in co-operation with the nearby Mjóeyri guesthouse and tourism centre. It has since been available both as an extension of the excellent Eskifjörður maritime museum and as a place where groups are able to sample traditional Icelandic fare in a setting that has changed little in the past one hundred years. It also provides the base from which Mjóeyri guesthouse rents out small boats with outboard motors for recreational fishing within the fjord where cod and haddock are still plentiful. In 1980 The East Iceland Maritime Museum (Sjóminjasafn Austurlands) became a part-owner of Randulff´s sea-house leading to the restoration of both the exterior of the building and the adjoining jetty. In 2003 the society became the sole owner of the house and in 2008 was re-opened in co-operation with the nearby Mjóeyri guesthouse and tourism centre. It has since been available both as an extension of the excellent Eskifjörður maritime museum and as a place where groups are able to sample traditional Icelandic fare in a setting that has changed little in the past one hundred years. It also provides the base from which Mjóeyri guesthouse rents out small boats with outboard motors for recreational fishing within the fiord where cod and haddock are still plentiful.

The Iceland spar mine in Helgustaðaland can be found on the way from Eskifjörður to Vöðlavík, and a footpath leads to it. Helgustaðanáma is an old Iceland spar mine in the land of Helgustaðir in Eskifjörður, which was protected as a natural monument in 1975. Helgustaðanáma is one of the most famous spar mines in the world, where spar was excavated from the ground from the 17th century until the first half of the 20th century. Most of the Iceland spar in museums around the world comes from the mine at Helgustaðir, but some of the largest and purest specimens of spar in the world were found in Helgustaðanáma. Iceland spar is a particularly clear crystal of the rock calcite, but the rock played a vital role in developing various studies on the properties of light. Today the Iceland spar is protected, and it is strictly forbidden to remove it from Helgustaðanáma.

At the top of Hólmaháls, just above the road, is the grave mound of a Völva (prophetess) that has protected Reyðarfjörður and Eskifjörður from attacks from sea for centuries. Legend has it that Völva lived in Sómastaðir in the 17th century, and before she died, she asked to be buried where the best view of Reyðarfjörður was. She said that the fjords, Eskifjörður and Reyðarfjörður, would never be attacked from sea as long as her bones remained intact. Later, when the Turks came to the East Fjords, they intended to sail into Reyðarfjörður and plunder, but when they sailed to the mouth of the fjord, such a thick fog came towards them that they had to turn away.  The legend also says that as long as stones are regularly added to the grave, nothing terrible will happen in the fjords. 

Menningarstofa Fjarðabyggðar (Fjardabyggd Cultural Office) was established in 2017, and its role is to support and promote cultural activities in Fjardabyggð. Menningarstofa works with people in cultural life and helps them and encourages good work. Menningarstofa Fjarðabyggðar is committed to ensuring all residents' access to culture and arts, regardless of residence, origin, and socioeconomic status. Menningarstofa is connected with grassroots organizations in culture, such as amateur theatre companies and choirs, and promotes good access to local housing events.  Menningarstofa connects theatre, primary and music schools, museums, and other municipal institutions with professionals from creative industries. Menningarstofa works to increase access to innovative learning and work in collaboration with educational directors, sports and leisure representatives, and the Fjardabyggð Museum-Institute. Furthermore, the Menningarstofa encourages creative processes in schools, cultural and leisure activities in Fjardabyggð. Tónlistarmiðstöð Austurlands is operated by Menningarstofa Fjarðabyggðar. Its Concert Hall, located in Eskifjörður, is very popular for most types of concerts. The music center is well equipped, and the house's soundtrack is excellent, but the design of a building creates visual and acoustic intimacy between performers and concertgoers. The place is also very convenient for various exhibitions, any conference, and meetings. However, the Events of Tónlistarmiðstöð Austurlands are not confined to the hall in Eskifjörður at all, as Menningarstofa Fjarðabyggðar is responsible for music-related events in all of Fjardabyggð.