180 Years Since Poet Jónas Hallgrímsson Died
26.05.2025
Jónas Hallgrímsson
Déssington made the image based on two sketches by medical student Helgi Sigurðsson of Jónas on the bier.
"Snorri's old site is a sheep-pen; the Law Rock is hidden in heather"
These lines are famous among Icelanders and were written by Jónas Hallgrímsson poet and naturalist. Today there are 180 year since he passed away.
Jónas Hallgrímsson was born at Hraun in Öxnadalur year 1807. He graduated from Bessastaðaskóli in 1829, was a clerk for the bailiff for the next three years, and then went to the University of Copenhagen like some other Icelanders who got the opportunity to seek education.
There, Jónas mainly studied natural history and literature. He was a co-founder of the magazine Fjölnir, and many of his poems were published there. Publication of Fjölnir was devoted to a variety of progressive issues for Iceland. One of them was the restoration of the Althing at Þingvellir. On this matter he lost to Jón Sigurðsson, one of Iceland´s most respected politician at that time. Jón Sigurðsson considered more practical in most ways to have the new parliament operating in Reykjavík. And so it was when Alþing was restored in 1845 it was held in Reykjavík and is there still
Poets grave yard
Here only two poets lie, Jónas Hallgrímsson (1807-1845) and Einar Benediktsson (1864-1940).
Þingvellir
Jónas was a pioneer in research into the nature of Iceland and between 1839 and 1842 he travelled widely throughout Iceland. Numerous new Icelandic words come from Jónas's research, both from his poems and translations of scholarly works. His and others work was essential to preserve the Icelandic language.
Jónas died on 26 May 1845 at the age of only 37. He was buried in Copenhagen, but his remains were brought to Iceland in 1947 and placed at Þingvellir. Among Jónas' poems are Fjallið Skjaldbreiður, Gunnarshólma, Ísland farslda frón, Móðurást and Hulduljóð. Many of his poems have been translated to other languages.
His poems and other writings put the environment and landscape of Þingvellir into words at a time when not everyone had the means to travel to the ancient assembly site. His contribution was a major part in creating the image we have of Þingvellir to this day as an cultural heritage site.