Hóll was built in 1895 and is a perfectly preserved example of a 19th century Icelandic home. Most of the original materials were retained during the refurbishment of the cottage.
Period furniture from the 19th century along with modern furniture, art and technology have been employed throughout the cottage.
Reykjavik Town council gave Holl Cottage an award in 2003 for restoration and well kept house and surroundings.
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Holl Cottage 2003
Holl Cottage 2010
Fifty years later 1996 Paul Newton bought the house and restored the house and the annexe in the next years with the help of the architects Jon Nordsteien og Olafur Flygenring.
The house is a good representation of houses build in Reykjavik at the end of the 19th century. The house shows that it has been restored in a professional way and with a lot of care and thought given. It is now a good decoration in its neigbourhood in the old town.
(The referandum with the award 2003)
Hóll Cottage circa 1890
Holl Cottage 1976
Holl Cottage 1999 terrace and garden been work at.
The house at Grotagata 12 (Holl Cottage) was errected in 1890 by a local carpenter Bjarni Jonsson. In 1895 the house was extended to the present size. Also in 1895 he build the annex to the house where stood previously an old torfhouse.
The house is on one floor with a loft and a basement, timberhouse with corregated iron roof, typical Danish-Icelandic type of house from that period. Bjarni owned the house until 1902.After that Sigridur Hannesdottir and her family owned the house until 1946, when Reykjavik Town Council bought the house
Hóll Cottage - Grjótagata 12 - Reykjavík - Iceland