THE HERITAGE OF CAVES OF HELLA

Our family has been taking care of the caves for nearly 200 years. In 2019, four out of twelve caves were opened to the public. In 2024, we started excavating the fifth cave and our guests can now observe the archaeological remains in the cave. The family is committed to restoring the caves to their former glory and keeping their history alive. We tell stories, told by our forefathers, about mysterious caves and the settlement before the arrival of the Vikings.

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The caves are man-made, but nobody really knows when they were originally constructed. Some sources indicate that they were made by Celts who inhabited Iceland before the official Norse settlement of Iceland in the late 9th century.

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The caves have been used throughout history as dwellings, sheep sheds or storage. After World War II Icelanders started building houses from concrete and traditional turf houses and caves soon fell into disuse.

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The restoration project is under the supervision of the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland. We focus on slow and sustainable tourism, working closely with the local community using local guides and local products. The main aim of the project is to continue the restoration of the caves, opening up more caves to the public.