Systrastapi

Systrastapi (Sister´s Rock) is a steep-sided rocky hill west of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Folklore tells of two nuns who were buried on the rock after being burned at the stake for breaking their vows; one is supposed to have sold herself to the Devil, taken consecrated Communion bread by the door of the privy, and had intimate relations with men. The other spoke blasphemously against the Pope. After the Reformation, the second nun was regarded as innocent as beautiful flowers grew on her grave, while the ‘guilty’ nun´s grave remained barren.

Systravatn (Sister´s Lake) is located above Kirkjubæjarklaustur, at the edge of a mountain ridge. The nuns of the convent often went up to the lake to bathe. One day, two of them saw a hand emerge from the lake, wearing a fine golden ring. They seized hold of the hand, and were dragged down into the depths. From Systravatn, Systrafoss (Sister´s Falls) cascades down into the Fossárgil canyon.