Eiríksstaðir

Eiríksstaðir is the name of the farm in Iceland believed to be the birthplace of Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer credited with being the first European to discover North America. The site is located in the Haukadalur valley in western Iceland, near the modern village of Búðardalur. Archaeological excavations at Eiríksstaðir have uncovered remains of a Norse longhouse, consistent with the period of settlement. These findings have supported the traditional identification of the location.

The farm is named after Erik the Red, Leif Erikson's father, who was himself a significant figure in the Norse colonization of Greenland. Erik the Red established the settlement in Iceland, and Eiríksstaðir is documented as his home. The Sagas of Icelanders, particularly the Saga of Erik the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders, provide accounts of Erik the Red's life and his sons, including Leif. These sagas place Erik's final years and death at Eiríksstaðir.

Today, Eiríksstaðir is a historical site and a tourist attraction. A reconstruction of a turf longhouse, based on archaeological findings and sagas, has been built at the site, offering visitors a glimpse into Norse life in Iceland during the Viking Age. The site serves as a tangible link to the early history of European exploration and settlement in the North Atlantic.