Eskifjörður

Eskifjörður is a fishing village on the western shore of the fjord of the same name, one part of the Reyðarfjörður. The village belongs to the municipality Fjarðabyggð and 702 road kilometers from Reykjavík.

History

From the earliest time when this was an estate, among other information, Danish administration officials lived.

As of 1787 the place was known as a trading center and 1798 were here va Danish merchants resident, while the Danish company Ørum & Wulff built the first trading house there.

The deputy Jón Ólafsson (1850-1916) for operation on site temporarily a print shop and published a newspaper.

But it was only after 1870 you will notice an influx of residents came to life as initially under the auspices of the Norwegian herring fishery. From 1905 the fishing motor boats began dating and the inhabitants finally lay around 1910 at 425 1911 the first power station was built.

In January 1942, held a British army division from in the mountains above the village of winter maneuvers and got it in a snowstorm. Most of the soldiers were rescued by locals, 9 man died, however.

Urban Development

The town acquired city rights in 1978, but now belongs to the municipality Fjarðabyggð. On 1 January 2011 Eskifjörður had 1,043 inhabitants.

Management and Services

In addition to fishing and fish processing companies are located on site, the local government ( since 1853, initially for the District Suður - Múlasýsla ). , A health center, a comprehensive school with a swimming pool and sports hall The school was formed from the Kvennaskóli founded in 1875, the second in the country, founded women and domestic business school.

In a trading house from the late 18th century, Gamlabúð, now home to the Fisheries Museum of eastern Iceland.

The first free church in Iceland was built in 1884 in Eskifjörður, the first Lutheran church in 1900., The parish priest went in 1930 after Eskifjörður.Die new church was consecrated in 2000.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Einar Bragi (1921-2005), publisher, translator, poet from the group of nuclear poet