Ísafjörður
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| File:Iceland CIA map trim.gif
Location of Ísafjörður in Iceland (upper left) |
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| Constituency | Northwest | ||
| Area | 270 km² ( 104.25mi²) | ||
| Population Total (2006) Density |
4,100 9.09/km² | ||
| Postal codes | IS-400 | ||
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Latitude | |||
| Municipal website | |||
Ísafjörður (IPA: [ˈi:saˌfjœrðʏr̥]) (ice fjord in Icelandic) is the capital of the Westfjords (Vestfirðir) region of Iceland, With a population of about 4,100 Ísafjörður is the largest town in the Westfjords, and the seat of the Ísafjarðarbær municipality, including Hnífsdalur, Flateyri, Suðureyri, and Þingeyri. It is located on a spit of sand, or eyri, in the Skutulsfjörður fjord which meets the waters of the larger Isafjarðardjúp fjord.
The town is connected via road to Bolungarvík which lies 15 km to the northwest, and to the small town of Súðavík to the east. The partly one-lane Breiðadals-og Botnsheiðagöng (Breiðadals-og Botnsheiðar Tunnel), completed in 1996, leads to the small towns of Flateyri and Suðureyri, as well as the more southern parts of the Westfjords. Ísafjörður also has an airport with regular flights to Reykjavík.
Fishing has been the main industry in Ísafjörður, and the town has one of the largest fisheries in Iceland. A vast decline in the fishing industry, due to many reasons such as political fishing restrictions in the early eighties and natural causes, has lead the inhabitants to seek work elsewhere making the population numbers decreasing. The harbor also serves ferries to nearby settlements as well as larger cruise ships for tourists visiting the area.
Despite its size, small population, and historical isolation from the rest of the country, the town has a rather urban atmosphere. Ísafjörður has a school of music as well as a hospital. The older former hospital building now accommodates a cultural center with a library and showrooms. Recently the small town has become known in the country as a center for alternative music outside of Iceland, and a yearly festival, Aldrei fór ég suður, has been established to host a number of local musicians as well as bands from around Iceland and even overseas.
The town is famous in Iceland for hosting different and widely popular events, both in the realm of culture and outdoor recreation. These events include, but are not limited to:
- The Ski Week Festival
- Iceland's most legendary music festival "Aldrei fór ég suður"
- Fossavatn Ski Marathon
- "Vid Djupid" music festival
- "The Outdoor Creature", a festival of outdoor recreation
- European Swampsoccer Championships
History
According to the Landnámabók (the Icelandic book of settlement), Skutulsfjördur was first settled by Helgi Magri Hrólfsson in the 9th century. In the 16th century the town grew in size due to its establishment as a trading post for foreign merchants. Witch trials were common around the same time throughout the Westfjords, and many people were banished to the nearby peninsula of Hornstrandir, now a national nature reserve. The town of Ísafjörður was granted municipal status in 1786.
The local folk museum contains the oldest house in Iceland, built in 1734. The largest collection of old timber frame houses in Iceland is in this area. The houses were mostly constructed by foreign traders in the late 18th century. These include Tjöruhús (completed in 1742), Krambúð (1761), and Turnhús (1744) which now contains a maritime museum.
Annual Music Festival
In 2002 Ísafjörður's own Mugison (a.k.a. Örn Elías Guðmundsson) organized the first 'Aldrei fór ég suður' Music Festival as a free concert to support the burgeoning music community in Ísafjörður. The festival was such a great success, attracting people from all over the country and even further away, that the event has been established as an annual festival in mid April. The name 'Aldrei fór ég suður' (I never went south) is taken from a Bubbi Morthens' song by the same name, and may be an allusion to a movement among young Icelanders to establish cultural events outside of Reykjavík, and draw attention back to the nation's roots in the countryside. The festival's subtitle reads "rokkhátið alþýðunnar" or "rock festival for the people".
It is confirmed that the American indie band Blonde Redhead will take part of the festival in 2007.
External links
- Aldrei fór ég suður Rock Festival (in Icelandic and English)
- Fossavatn Ski Marathon (in Icelandic, English, French, German, and Norwegian)
- Ísafjörður - Picture Gallery www.islandsmyndir.is
