Sandgerði

64.036388888889 - 22.704166666667Koordinaten: 64 ° 2 ' N, 22 ° 42 ' W

Sandgerði ( Isl Sandgerðisbær ) is an Icelandic township in the Southern Peninsula region.

On 1 January 2009 the municipality had 1754 inhabitants.

The fishing Sandgerði located on the west coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula, located on the northwestern edge of the peninsula Miðnes on road No 45 The city hosts a marine nature center, the research institution and museum at the same time.

History

The city was once a trading port. After the abolition of the Danish trade monopoly (see history of Iceland ) settled here in the 19th century merchants from many countries down. They bought mainly fish and imported goods in return, such as salt and wood.

At the beginning of the First World War, more and more people settled here to go from here to fish. 1918 one could find the first electric generator at Reykjanes in Sandgerði. In the following years operated from here up to 40 (some small ) fishing boats.

Meanwhile, there is a thriving community with numerous commuters to Keflavík and Reykjavík.

Hvalsnes

Located 7 kilometers south of the village is the 1887 stone built Hvalsneskirkja (Eng. "Church of the Walhalbinsel ). Hallgrímur Pétursson, the most famous poet of Icelandic churches and Passion songs, was here 1644-1651 pastor.

Básendar

On the coast in the south of Hvalsnes since the 15th century was a village and a trading post called Básendar. He belonged to the 16th century the Viðeyarkloster in Reykjavík and came after the Reformation in the possession of the Danish king. During the 18th century, the local merchants were quite ill repute as Danish exploiters, making it some saw as a punishment from God, when the village was destroyed on 23 December 1799 by a spring tide. A footpath leads from Hafnir to the north and around the bay, on which there was the place.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Grétar Hjartarson ( b. 1977 ), football player

Twinning

• VAGS Kommuna, Faroe Islands