A statue of Snorri Sturluson, by the famous Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, is located near the entrance of the old district school at Reykholt. The Norwegians donated the statue to the Icelandic nation in 1947 when Olaf Hakansson, then Crown prince of Norway, visited Reykholt.                 The Deed of the Church of Reykholt (Reykjaholtsmaldagi) was compiled by a number of authors over a long period of time, the first of which is thought by many to be from the middle of the 12th century. Snorri is among those who are mentioned as donors to the church:   "Magnus [the priest at Reykholt] and Snorri give the shrine with relics that stands on the altar, each giving half, and it is church property in addition to that which has previously been listed. The church owns, in addition to the bells which Snorri and Hallveig donated to the estate..." It has been suggested that Snorri wrote this part of the deed himslef.   (The deed is kept at the National Archives)     The heritage of Iceland's greatest medieval writer, poet, scholar and statesman, Snorri Sturluson (1179-1241), is rooted in Reykholt in the west of Iceland. It is one of Iceland's main historic sites, a cultural centre of past and present. This famous tourist attraction was his residence for nearly all his working life, i.e. from 1206 to his death. It was in Reykholt that Snorri made all his literary achievements, when he wrote the sagas about the Norwegian kings in Heimskringla, the Poetic Edda, which teaches poetics and Nordic mythology, and most probably one of the greatest family sagas, Egils saga Skalla-Grimssonar. A church and a rectory played a great role in Reykholt's history, having housed many respected clergymen through the centuries. Reykholt was well endowed with properties and perquisites. Some of Iceland's most precious antiquities can be found there; the oldest preserved document of an Icelandic church is Reykholtsmaldagi, dating to the late 12th century. This document is preserved at the National Archives of Iceland. Thousands of travellers, foreign and Icelandic, visit Reykholt every year. The nation of Norway has shown great interest and support, due to the fondness that Snorri Sturluson had for writing about their history. On several occasions the Norwegians have participated in the progress of Reykholt and Snorrastofa, with generous financial contributions.   (From the Ministry of Education's report Midaldafraedi i Reykholti)