Bíldudalur
Encyclopedia
Bíldudalur is a village situated on the coast of Arnarfjörður
, one of the Westfjords
in Iceland
.
It is situated in the Vesturbyggð
municipality and has 166 inhabitants (as of January 2011).
The village prospered in the 19th century thanks to sound business enterprise and the booming fishing industry. Ólafur Thorlacius (1761-1815) set up business in Bíldudalur following the end of the Danish trade monopoly. He was one of the most influential businessmen in Iceland at the beginning of the 19th century. He bought and sold fish, traded goods and ran his own small fishing fleet. One of his successors, Pétur J. Thorsteinnsson (1854-1924) successfully continued this operation.
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the decline of the fishing industry and the imposition of strict quotas by the Icelandic government have led the town to diversify its economy. The village is now home to a factory, which processes a mineral rich algae found in abundance in the fjord, in which many of the residents work. The village is also becoming a popular tourist destination, especially for fishing trips and for artists seeking to gain inspiration from the spectacular scenery.
Close by the town there is also a fjord of literary significance, Geirþjófsfjörður, where the Icelandic Gísla saga
was played out.
Arnarfjörður
Arnarfjörður is a large fjord in the Westfjords region of Iceland. It is thirty kilometres long and five to ten kilometres wide.-External links:*...
, one of the Westfjords
Westfjords
The Westfjords or West Fjords is the name for the large peninsula in northwestern Iceland. It is connected to the rest of Iceland by a 7 km wide isthmus between Gilsfjörður and Bitrufjörður. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is heavily indented by dozens of fjords surrounded by...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
It is situated in the Vesturbyggð
Vesturbyggð
Vesturbyggð is a municipality located in the Westfjords in Iceland.As of January 1st 2011, it had a population of 890.-Geography:In Vesturbyggð there is the town Patreksfjörður with 627 inhabitants, Bíldudalur with 166 inhabitants and Krossholt with 19 inhabitants.-External links:*...
municipality and has 166 inhabitants (as of January 2011).
The village prospered in the 19th century thanks to sound business enterprise and the booming fishing industry. Ólafur Thorlacius (1761-1815) set up business in Bíldudalur following the end of the Danish trade monopoly. He was one of the most influential businessmen in Iceland at the beginning of the 19th century. He bought and sold fish, traded goods and ran his own small fishing fleet. One of his successors, Pétur J. Thorsteinnsson (1854-1924) successfully continued this operation.
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the decline of the fishing industry and the imposition of strict quotas by the Icelandic government have led the town to diversify its economy. The village is now home to a factory, which processes a mineral rich algae found in abundance in the fjord, in which many of the residents work. The village is also becoming a popular tourist destination, especially for fishing trips and for artists seeking to gain inspiration from the spectacular scenery.
Close by the town there is also a fjord of literary significance, Geirþjófsfjörður, where the Icelandic Gísla saga
Gísla saga
Gísla saga Súrssonar is one of the Sagas of Icelanders. It tells the story of Gisli, a tragic hero who must kill one of his brothers-in-law to avenge another brother-in-law. Gisli is outlawed and forced to stay on the run for thirteen years before he is finally hunted down and killed...
was played out.
External links
- Bíldudalur - official website en.bildudalur.is
- Bíldudalur - picture gallery www.islandsmyndir.is
- Eagle Air (domestic flight schedule)