Seyðisfjörður
Encyclopedia
Seyðisfjörður (ˈseiðɪsfjœrðʏr̥) is a town and municipality in the Eastfjords of Iceland
at the innermost point of the fjord
of the same name.
As of January 2011, the town has 668 inhabitants.
A road over Fjarðarheiði mountain pass connects Seyðisfjörður to the rest of Iceland; 27 km to the ring road
and Egilsstaðir
. Seyðisfjörður is surrounded by mountains on all sides with most prominent Mt. Bjólfur to the West (1085m) and Strandartindur (1010m) to the East. The fjord itself is accessible on each side from the town, by following the main road that leads through the town. Further out the fjord is fairly remote but rich with natural interests including puffin
colonies and ruins of former activity such as nearby Vestdalseyri, from where the local church was transported.
Town settlement in the Seyðisfjörður area started in 1848. The town was settled by Norwegian
fishermen. These settlers also built some of the existing wooden buildings in the village. Another now deserted settlement nearby in the fjord, Vestddalseyri was the site for the world's first modern industrialized whaling station. It was established in 1864 by renowned American whaler Thomas Welcome Roys and run by him and his workforce until 1866. Both settlements served primarily as fishing and trading posts. The first telegraph cable connecting Iceland to Europe was shored in Seyðisfjörður in 1906, making it a hub for international telecommunications well past the middle of last century. In 1913 a dam was made in the main river, harnessing power for the country's first high voltage AC power plant together with a distribution network for street lighting and home use, also the first of its kind in Iceland. Seyðisfjörður was used as a base for British/American forces during World War II
and remnants of this activity is visible through the fjord, including a landing strip no longer in use and an oil ship El Grillo
that was bombed and sunk. It remains a divers wreck at the bottom of the fjord.
With the recent demise of the local fish-processing plant the village has shifted its economy to tourism
. It still remains a significant fishing port on the east coast of Iceland
with harbours, ship construction facilities and a slip.
had a residence and art studio in Seyðisfjörður. The Dieter Roth Academy is centered in the Skaftfell cultural center.
There are several waterfalls in the town. A popular hiking path starts at the town center, following the East bank of the Fjarðará, the river that flows through the center of town. Further up the river there are 25 waterfalls. During the winter, a skiing area is used in Fjarðarheiði mountain pass.
Skálanes
nature and heritage centre can be found 17 km (10.56 mi) east of the town. The nature reserve is home to a diverse range of wildlife, as well as catering for visitors and anyone wanting to explore the south side of the Fjord.
Every week the car ferry MV Norröna of Smyril Line
comes to Seyðisfjörður from Hirtshals
in Denmark
and Tórshavn
in the Faroe Islands
. Until January 2009 it also called at Bergen, Norway and Scrabster, Scotland
.
with:
Vantaa
in Finland
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...
at the innermost point of the fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
of the same name.
As of January 2011, the town has 668 inhabitants.
A road over Fjarðarheiði mountain pass connects Seyðisfjörður to the rest of Iceland; 27 km to the ring road
Ring road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...
and Egilsstaðir
Egilsstaðir
Egilsstaðir is a town in east Iceland on the banks of Lagarfljót river.It is part of the municipality of Fljótsdalshérað, the county seat of Norður-Múlasýsla and the largest settlement of the Austurland region with, as of 2011, a population of 2,257 inhabitants.-Overview:Egilsstadir is located at...
. Seyðisfjörður is surrounded by mountains on all sides with most prominent Mt. Bjólfur to the West (1085m) and Strandartindur (1010m) to the East. The fjord itself is accessible on each side from the town, by following the main road that leads through the town. Further out the fjord is fairly remote but rich with natural interests including puffin
Puffin
Puffins are any of three small species of auk in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among...
colonies and ruins of former activity such as nearby Vestdalseyri, from where the local church was transported.
History
Settlement in Seyðisfjörður traces back to the early period of settlement in Iceland. The first settler was Bjólfur, who occupied the entire fjord. The burned down ruin of a "staf" church at Þórunnarstaðir has been carbon-dated to the 10th century, with earlier graves exhumed dating back to the 8th century.Town settlement in the Seyðisfjörður area started in 1848. The town was settled by Norwegian
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
fishermen. These settlers also built some of the existing wooden buildings in the village. Another now deserted settlement nearby in the fjord, Vestddalseyri was the site for the world's first modern industrialized whaling station. It was established in 1864 by renowned American whaler Thomas Welcome Roys and run by him and his workforce until 1866. Both settlements served primarily as fishing and trading posts. The first telegraph cable connecting Iceland to Europe was shored in Seyðisfjörður in 1906, making it a hub for international telecommunications well past the middle of last century. In 1913 a dam was made in the main river, harnessing power for the country's first high voltage AC power plant together with a distribution network for street lighting and home use, also the first of its kind in Iceland. Seyðisfjörður was used as a base for British/American forces during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and remnants of this activity is visible through the fjord, including a landing strip no longer in use and an oil ship El Grillo
SS El Grillo
The SS El Grillo was a British oil tanker sunk without casualties by a German air attack at Seyðisfjörður, Iceland on 10 February 1944.Iceland, which remained neutral during World War II, had been occupied by Britain in May 1940 and, in April 1941, by the United States."El Grillo" is Spanish for...
that was bombed and sunk. It remains a divers wreck at the bottom of the fjord.
With the recent demise of the local fish-processing plant the village has shifted its economy to tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. It still remains a significant fishing port on the east coast of 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...
with harbours, ship construction facilities and a slip.
Overview
The town of Seyðisfjörður is well known for its old wooden buildings and has remnants of urban street configurations within its urban fabric. There is a camping ground, facilities for campers, hotels, a swimming pool, a library, hospital, post office, liquor store, and other retail activity. Seyðisfjörður also has a vibrant cultural scene with an arts centre, a telecommunications museum and the only two cinemas in the east of Iceland. The LungA art festival takes place in Seyðisfjörður in July and world renowned artist Dieter RothDieter Roth
Dieter Roth was an Icelandic artist of Swiss German origin best known for his artist's books and for his sculptures and pictures made with rotting food stuffs. He was also known as Dieter Rot and Diter Rot....
had a residence and art studio in Seyðisfjörður. The Dieter Roth Academy is centered in the Skaftfell cultural center.
There are several waterfalls in the town. A popular hiking path starts at the town center, following the East bank of the Fjarðará, the river that flows through the center of town. Further up the river there are 25 waterfalls. During the winter, a skiing area is used in Fjarðarheiði mountain pass.
Skálanes
Skálanes
Skálanes is a nature reserve in Iceland.The nature reserve and centre are owned and managed by Ólafur Pétursson and his family. The day to day running of the reserve is undertaken by Ólafur with the help of a wide variety of people from the local Icelandic community and from...
nature and heritage centre can be found 17 km (10.56 mi) east of the town. The nature reserve is home to a diverse range of wildlife, as well as catering for visitors and anyone wanting to explore the south side of the Fjord.
Every week the car ferry MV Norröna of Smyril Line
Smyril Line
Smyril Line is a Faroese shipping company, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland, previously, it also served Norway and the United Kingdom. Smyril is the Faroese word for the merlin....
comes to Seyðisfjörður from Hirtshals
Hirtshals
Hirtshals is a town in Hjørring municipality in Region Nordjylland on the north coast of the island of Vendsyssel-Thy at the top of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark, Europe.-The town of Hirtshals:...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Tórshavn
Tórshavn
Tórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn...
in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
. Until January 2009 it also called at Bergen, Norway and Scrabster, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Sports
The local football club Huginn play in Iceland's fourth tier.Twin towns — Sister cities
Seyðisfjörður is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Vantaa
Vantaa
Vantaa is a city and municipality in Finland. Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen make up the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.Vantaa, with its population of , is the fourth most populated city of Finland. The biggest airport in Finland, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is located there...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
External links
- Official website (engl./is.)
- Skaftfell Art Center
- Mini-Ciné Iceland's only microcinemaMicrocinemaThe term Microcinema can have two meanings. It can describe low-budget or amateur films shot mostly on digital video, edited on a computer, and then distributed via videotape, disc or over the Internet...
. - Smyril Line (owner of car ferry Norröna) - official website
- Skálanes Nature & Heritage Centre