Akureyri

65.683333333333 - 18.1Koordinaten: 65 ° 41 'N, 18 ° 6' W

• The city and municipality of Akureyri ['a ː ˌ kʏ rɛi ˑ rɪ ] listen / i ( Isl Akureyrarkaupstaður ) with 17,633 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2009 ) to Reykjavík and its suburbs two Kópavogur Hafnarfjörður and the fourth largest city of Iceland.

The port city constitutes the largest population center outside the capital district and the largest service center in the north of the country

To this community since May 31, 2009 also includes the island of Grimsey.

Geography

Akureyri is located on the shores of far into the country reaching fjord Eyjafjörður and the river Glerá. To the west the mountainous peninsula Tröllaskagi lies with the Öxnadalur. North-west of Akureyri is the nearest major town, Dalvik and the community Hörgársveit.

Akureyri is located south-southwest mountain Súlur the city. South of the church is the place Eyjafjarðarsveit Hrafnagil and the river Eyjafjarðará. Northeast of the city Akureyri Svalbarðseyri located in the municipality Svalbarðseyri. East of Akureyri, the community is located Þingeyjarsveit.

Akureyri is situated 50 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the from there to reach by plane and ferry island of Grimsey. The city is a good starting point to other attractions in the north of Iceland, about to the waterfalls Aldeyjarfoss and Goðafoss and to Lake Mývatn with its volcanic phenomena and to Húsavík for whale watching. Before the town of Akureyri in the fjord Eyjafjörður are white smokers.

History

The city was founded in 1602 as a trading post of the Danes. They had found that the place was favorable for a high sea port the system because of the steeply sloping seabed.

Akureyri blossomed gradually, and received city rights in 1786. The place was still another hundred years quite small and consisted only of a few houses.

This changed with the end of the 19th century and the associated removal of trade restrictions (see history of Iceland ). Even after 1840 the town had grown significantly due to the influx of artisans and wage workers. While the merchants lived in the southern part of the village, the craftsmen were in the north down ( in Oddeyri district ). Between the two districts there were long standing disputes. Even the high school ( Menntaskóli ) was located exactly on the boundary line, which was still specially measured.

Finally, the city experienced enormous growth since 1900, after a trading company ( Kaupfélag Eyfirðinga og Akureyri ) was established and provided with its shops, warehouses and affiliated companies for prosperity. The development of trawler fishing was good Akureyri.

Today it lives from the already above mentioned industries, to which was added the high-tech industry. In addition, tourism is seen as a growth factor.

In September 1987, the University of Akureyri was founded.

On 1 August 2004, the rural community Hrísey ( Hríseyjarhreppur ), an island in Eyjafjörður incorporated. The incorporation of other eight municipalities was rejected by those in referendums in October 2005. Since June 1, 2009, the island of Grimsey is one of Akureyri.

Attractions

Akureyrarkirkja

The image of the center of Akureyri is strongly influenced by the Evangelical Lutheran church above the town center. The church is referred to simply as Akureyrarkirkja ( " Akureyri Church "). It was designed by the Icelandic architects Guðjón Samúelsson and inaugurated on 17 November 1940. At first designs of the architect, the church was known as Matthias Church, was probably in honor of Matthias Jochumsson, the popular pastor and poet in Akureyri. This name has, however, not enforced.

Noteworthy in the bright and airy interior of the church are reliefs of Ásmundur Sveinsson at the gallery and the large organ that was made in Oettingen in Bayern. In addition, the church can show remarkable stained glass windows, one of which is 400 years old and comes from the destroyed in the Second World War Coventry Cathedral in England. Other stained glass windows depict scenes from the Icelandic church history, such as a scene in which in the Christianization in 1000, images of the gods are thrown into the waterfall named after Goðafoss. One can also consider a secured to the ceiling miniature sailboat in the church.

Glerárkirkja

In the Glerárkirkja Glerárhverfi district, which was designed by architect Svanur Eiriksson is. As the Akureyrarkirkja heard too of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Iceland. On February 15, 1987, the first part of the church was consecrated, and five years later, in December 1992, the great nave. The church is characterized by a modern design and colorful stained glass windows by the artist Leif Breidfjord. To the community of a small wooden church above the town, Lögmannshlíðarkirkja heard mentioned.

Other churches and prayer houses

In Akureyri is also a Catholic church, a church of the Pentecostal church, and houses of worship by the Salvation Army and Plymouth Brethren ( Sjónarhæðarsöfnuður ).

Nonnahús and other poets apartments

• Nonnahús: In this house in the Danish style of the famous Jesuit and children's author Jón Sveinsson (1857-1944), who wrote the series of novels featuring the Icelandic boys Nonni, which also travels in the world, lived. The house is now a museum, with 19th century furniture and personal belongings of the author.
• Sigurhæðir (German victories heights): The house of the poet Matthías Jochumsson, poet uA the Icelandic national anthem today, is also a museum.
• Davíðshús: Also, the house of the writer and librarian Davíð Stefánsson you can visit.

Other museums

• Akureyri Art Museum ( Listasafnið á Akureyrari ): The museum, a former dairy farm, is an example of the Icelandic Bauhaus style and changing exhibitions of mainly modern art. Since 2006, the museum is founded in 1993 place the award ceremonies for the Icelandic Visual Arts Award.
• Heritage Museum ( Minjasafn Akureyrar ): The museum at the Villa Kirkjuhvoll presented objects, photographs and manuscripts on the history of Akureyri and the Eyjafjörður.
• Natural History Museum ( Náttúrufræðistofnun Norðurlands ): It shows especially the animals and plants of the area.
• The Transport Museum at the airport. It has a large variety of different flying machines, cars and other means of transport.

Botanical Garden ( Lystigarður Akureyrar )

→ Main article: Botanischer Garten Akureyri The garden is located high above the fjord still above the Akureyrarkirkja southwest of the city and amazed by the diversity of plant growth. You can see there over 6000 native species of flowers, trees and other plants as well as approximately 400 native species. In principle, it is open all year around from dawn to sunset.

Climate

According to its northern coast location Akureyri has a maritime - polar climate with relatively mild winters and cool summers.

The mean temperature of the coldest month (January, February ) is about -1.5 ° C. In July, an average temperature of 11 ° C is reached. The annual average temperature is 4 ° C, the temperature extremes lie at -23.2 ° C ( 1947) and 28.8 ° C ( 2008).

In fall a precipitate of about 450 millimeters, and the sun shines almost 1,000 hours, which is typical of the north coast of Iceland.

Population Development

In contrast to most areas outside the capital Reykjavík and its surroundings, the population of Akureyri is on the increase conceived (1997 to 2006: 10 %).

* On 1 December each

Economy

Many industrial enterprises have settled in Akureyri. In addition to the fish processing industry and wanted there is a large brewery.

Education

Akureyri has numerous schools and since 1987 on a university. The old building of the Menntaskólinn or the Gymnasium was designed by Archikten Guðjón Samúelsson and is the oldest school in the city of 1880.

Sports

Well-known sports clubs are Þór Akureyri and KA Akureyri.

Traffic

The city is located on the Ringstrasse 1 and has its own airport; it also has a port.