Menntaskólinn school

Menntaskolinn school

The Reykjavik audio-guided tour places you before the oldest school in Iceland, the Menntaskolinn. Behind this facade lies an institution whose origins go back to the Middle Ages and which has accompanied the cultural history of the country.

A thousand-year-old school

The school was founded in 1056, not in Reykjavik but in Skalholt, a town in the south of the island that was for eight centuries one of the most important cultural, political and above all religious centres of Iceland. Transferred a first time to the capital in 1786, the institution settled there permanently, making the link between the country's medieval heritage and modern education.

What there is to see

The historic building of the Menntaskolinn bears witness to the importance given to education in Icelandic society. An active secondary school, it cannot be visited, but its facade and setting tell of one of the longest school continuities in Europe. It is a stop to understand the role of Skalholt and of culture in the building of the nation.

Practical information

Menntaskolinn school is in the centre of Reykjavik. As an active educational establishment, it cannot be visited: only its facade can be seen from the street, during the walk. It is a quick stop, with no fee or schedule.

When was Menntaskolinn school founded ?

It goes back to 1056, in Skalholt, which makes it the oldest school in Iceland, transferred to Reykjavik in the 18th century.

Can the school be visited ?

No, it is an active secondary school; only its facade can be seen from the street.