Hafnarfjörður

64.06667 - 21.95Koordinaten: 64 ° 4 '0 "N, 21 ° 57 ' 0 " W

Hafnarfjörður [' hapnar ˌ fjœrðʏr ] (Eng. " Port Fjord" ) ( ndt. " Hanne fjord " ) is an Icelandic city in the region Höfuðborgarsvæðið in southwest Iceland.

On 1 January 2009, the city located in the southern part of the conurbation around the capital, Reykjavík had 25,850 inhabitants.

Geography

The municipality Hafnarfjörðurs consists of two non-contiguous areas. The area with the city Hafnarfjörður itself bordered to the west by Sveitarfélagið Vogar, in the north and east by Gardabær and on the south by Grindavíkurbær. To the southeast of this region is the mountain Helgafell.

The south -lying area around Krýsuvík is located south-southwest of the lake Kleifarvatn, it is surrounded by the municipality Grindavíkurbær.

The city Hafnarfjörður located on the coast of the fjord of the same name. Smaller lakes in the municipality are the Ástjörn and Hvaleyrarvatn.

History

Thanks to the convenient location, the city has experienced a long history of colonialization. It takes place already in Landnámabók mention. In the Middle Ages it was a bone of contention between the English and German merchants of the Hanseatic League. Even the Danes recognized and used the convenient location and the port for the import and export. From the end of the 19th century, fishing was the main industry.

Culture and sights

In the city center many Lavahügel fall on to which one has built around carefully. Hafnarfjörður applies namely as a center of the elves faith, according to the survey results, attach a surprising number of Icelanders. So many people are convinced that this Lavahügel if inhabited by elves, whose dwellings had to be protected. Erla Stefánsdóttir has a map of Hafnarfjörður designed, in which the (alleged) homes of elves, trolls, dwarves and other hidden people ( Huldufólk ) are shown.

In the city center is the park Víðistaðatún in which there is a sculpture park with works by Icelandic and international artists. Also in the park there is the bright semicircular Víðistaðakirkja. The somewhat inconspicuous landmarks of the city, the lighthouse ( Isl viti ), was built around 1900 and is now in a residential area. Can be considered the only lighthouse of the streets Vitastígur or Hverfisgata, because the land owner refused to enter his garden strictly.

Across from the aluminum plant Straumsvík you see a lava field: the " Kapellenlava " Kapelluhraun. Here you have found a small figure of Saint Barbara, which is now in the National Museum.

Sports

The town also has a football club and the club Haukar FH Hafnarfjörður Hafnarfjörður. The Kaplakriki is a multipurpose facility for sporting events.

Art

In Hafnarfjörður the internationally renowned artist Ólafur Elíasson spent his childhood.

Economy and infrastructure

Hafnarfjörður has a bigger fishing port and some industrial plants.

At the same time Hafnarfjörður is a modern industrial city that does not last that accounts for about 15-20 % of the country's export income due to the aluminum plant in Straumsvík front of their doors. Beside the road between Reykjavik and the airport, the Reykjanesbraut, located west of Hafnarfjörður an industrial complex with striking red and white towers. Because of the favorable prices of electric energy there is in Straumsvík since 1969, an aluminum factory (→ fusion electrolysis ). All raw materials are imported. A second work of this kind arises in Reyðarfjörður on the east coast of Iceland.

Traffic

The city is across the street 41, attached to the Hringvegur, the most important Icelandic artery. West of the city of Keflavík airport.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Aron Palmarsson (* 1990), handball players
• Berglind Ólafsdóttir ( born 1977 ), model and actress
• Helgi Halldórsson Björgvin ( born 1951 ), pop singer
• Guðrún Helgadóttir (* 1935), children's book author and politician
• Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir (* 1949), writer
• Ólafur Guðmundsson (* 1990), handball players
• Stefán Hörður Grimsson (1919-2002), writer
• Stefán Karl Stefánsson ( born 1975 ), actor
• Stefán Rafn Sigurmannsson (* 1990), handball players
• Botnleðja, Rock Band

Twinning

• Finland Hämeenlinna, Finland
• Germany Cuxhaven, Germany
• Sweden Uppsala, Sweden
• Norway Baerum, Norway
• Denmark Frederiksberg, Denmark
• Gronland Ilulissat, Greenland
• Estonia Tartu, Estonia
• Faroe Tvøroyri, Faroe Islands
• China People's Republic of Baoding, People's Republic of China

Within Islands is twinned with Akureyri.

Hafnarfjörður is a member of the New Hanseatic Cities.