Ísafjörður

Ísafjörður, Iceland

Location of Ísafjörður in Iceland (upper left)
Constituency	Northwest
Area	270 km² ( 104.25mi²)
Population Total (2008) Density	3,946 9.09/km²
Postal codes	IS-400
Latitude Longitude
[http://www.isafjordur.is/ Municipal website]

Ísafjörður (IPA2|ˈi:saˌfjœrðʏr̥) ("ice fjord" in icelandic) is the capital of the Westfjords ("Vestfirðir") region of Iceland, With a population of about 4,000 Ísafjörður is the largest town in the Westfjords, and the seat of the Ísafjarðarbær municipality, which includes the nearby 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 led 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 [http://safn.isafjordur.is/ 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. A university center, Háskólasetur Vestfjarða, that acts as a distance learning center for the 7000 residents of the western fjords, was established in March 2005.

The town hosts different and widely popular events, both in the realm of culture and outdoor recreation. These events include, but are not limited to:

* [http://www.skidavikan.is The Ski Week Festival]
* [http://www.aldrei.is Iceland's most legendary music festival "Aldrei fór ég suður"]
* [http://www.fossavatn.com Fossavatn Ski Marathon]
* [http://www.viddjupid.is "Vid Djupid" music festival]
* [http://www.myrarbolti.com 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".

External links

* [http://www.skidavikan.is/festival/indexens.htm Aldrei fór ég suður Rock Festival] (in Icelandic and English)
* [http://www.fossavatn.com Fossavatn Ski Marathon] (in Icelandic, English, French, German, and Norwegian)
* [http://www.islandsmyndir.is/html_skjol/vestfirdir/isaqfjordur/yfirlit_isafjordur_01.htm Ísafjörður - Picture Gallery ] www.islandsmyndir.is
* [http://www.hsvest.is/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=106 Háskólasetur Vestfjarða]