Húsavík

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Húsavík
Húsavík (Iceland)
Red pog.svg
Coordinates 66 ° 2 ′  N , 17 ° 20 ′  W Coordinates: 66 ° 2 ′  N , 17 ° 20 ′  W
Basic data
Country Iceland

region

Norðurland eystra
local community Norðurþing
Residents 2323 (January 1, 2019)
Húsavík's harbor, in the background the Húsavíkurfjall
Húsavík harbor

Húsavík ([ ˈhuːsaˌviˑk ], German "house bay") is the largest town and administrative seat of the Icelandic municipality of Norðurþing and has 2323 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019).

geography

Húsavík is located on Skjálfandi Bay . To the east of the village is the local mountain Húsavíks, the Húsavíkurfjall .

history

The first Viking who was proven to have stayed in Iceland for a long time - the Swede Garðar Svavarson - wintered in Húsavik. First of all, he named Iceland after himself, namely Garðarsholmur . A memorial at the Húsavík school commemorates him.

The former township Húsavík (isl. Húsavíkurbær , community number 6100, surface area 269 square kilometers) was in June 2006 with the villages Keldunes ( Kelduneshreppur ) Öxarfjörður ( Öxarfjarðarhreppur ) and Raufarhöfn ( Raufarhafnarhreppur ) merged to Norðurþing merged. In 2002 the rural community of Reykjahreppur was incorporated into Húsavíkurbær.

In 2020, the place became internationally known through the Netflix- produced film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga with Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams in the lead roles, which revolves around a band called Fire Saga from this place, who played on the Eurovision song Contest wants to compete.

Population development until 2005

Population on Dec. 1, 1997: 2,599 (territorial status 2002)
Population on Dec. 1, 2003: 2,453
Population on December 1st, 2004: 2,426
Population on Dec. 1, 2005: 2,373
Population change 1997-2005: -9%

Culture and sights

Húsavík Church

The Húsavík church dates from the beginning of the last century. It has light wooden walls and white window frames and is also slightly larger than the usual Icelandic country churches.

From Húsavík you can go on whale watching trips, where you can mostly see humpback whales (but also minke whales , porpoises or blue whales ) or dolphins . Close to the port is the Húsavík Whale Museum, run by the European Whale Center and all trilingual (Icelandic, English and German).

A specialty, the Icelandic Phallological Museum , moved back to Reykjavík in 2011 .

Húsavík is also a starting point for excursions to the Mývatn region , a volcanically very active area southeast of Húsavík. Significantly, the kieselgure export represents the second line of business of the place.

The film musical Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga takes place largely in Húsavík. One song in the film is also entitled "Husavik- My Home Town". The film was released on Netflix on June 26, 2020 .

economy

Húsavík has a fishing port. This makes the place the supply center for the farms and hamlets in the area. The new Húsavíkurgöng connects a new industrial plant north of the city with the port.

Transport and infrastructure

Húsavík is on Norðausturvegur , road 85; the distance to Reykjavík is 480 kilometers by road. The postcodes of Húsavík are 640 (for the town itself) and 641 (for the farms in the area).

Sons and daughters

Town twinning

Web links

Commons : Húsavík  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Húsavík  - travel guide