Hrafnagil has been an estate since ancient times.  It was a church site and a parsonage of the Hrafnagil County.  Catholic churches there were dedicated to Peter the Apostle and an annexed church was at Kaupangur.  The parishes were united with the Akureyri parish in 1863, but the Rev. continued living at Hrafnagil until 1880.  The most renowned priest of Hrafnagil was Jon Arason, later the bishop at Holar, who served there from 1508 to 1519.  He was later (1550) beheaded with his two sons at Skalholt, the southern bishopric, because he and his people in the northern see opposed the reformation.

According to the Sturlunga Saga the most infamous slaying took place at Hrafnagil at Christmas 1258.  Thorvardur Thorarinsson killed one of the most prominent and promising chieftains of the country, Thorgils Skardi Bodvarsson in cold blood.  Thorgils had treated Thorvardur well, but Thorvardur felt threatened by him and did not hesitate to get him out of the way.

Hrafnagil is a school centre, and in the proximity are the cultural community centre Laugaborg, greenhouses and the so-called Christmas Land.  The Energy authority of Akureyri sank boreholes on the property to supply the town and its surroundings with hot water.  Natural, geothermal activity in the area was used for a swimming pool in the past and community gatherings took place there.
Akureyri