In this post, we will briefly (very briefly) learn about the history of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.
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Reykjavík is believed to be the site of the first permanent settlement in Iceland, which, according to Landnámabók, was established by Ingólfur Arnarson in 874 AD. Until the 18th century, there was no urban development in the city.
According to the Book of Settlements, Ingólfr decided on the location of his settlement using a traditional Norse method. When he sighted land, he threw the pillars of his high seat overboard and vowed to settle where the gods decided to bring them ashore. After three years of searching, two of his slaves found the pillars in the bay that eventually became the site of Reykjavík.
What is now the city centre was farmland until the 18th century. That was when King Frederick V of Denmark donated the Reykjavik estate to the Innréttingar corporation.
Reykjavik was officially founded in 1786 and within a few decades experienced steady growth, becoming a regional and later national centre of commerce, population and government activities.
Icelandic nationalist sentiment gained influence in the 19th century, and the idea of Icelandic independence spread widely. Reykjavik, as Iceland’s only city, was fundamental to these ideas.
In 1845, the Alþingi, the general assembly formed in 930 AD, was re-established in Reykjavik. Until then, it had only functioned as a consultative assembly, advising the king on Icelandic affairs. This made it the capital of Iceland.
In 1874, Iceland received a constitution. With it, the Alþingi gained some limited legislative powers. In 1904, it was granted self-government and the position of Prime Minister of Iceland was established.
On 1 December 1918, Iceland became a sovereign country, the Kingdom of Iceland, in personal union with the Danish Crown.
On the morning of 10 May 1940, following the German occupation of Denmark and Norway a month earlier, four British warships arrived in Reykjavik and anchored in the harbour. The Icelandic government had received numerous requests from the British government to consent to the occupation, but always declined, citing its policy of neutrality. However, it finally accepted.
The British built Reykjavik Airport, which is still in service today. The Americans, for their part, built Keflavík Airport.
Find all the information about Reykjavik airports HERE.
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In 1944, the Republic of Iceland was founded and a president, elected by the people, replaced the king. The president’s office was established in Reykjavík.
The 1986 Reykjavík Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev at Höfði highlighted Reykjavík’s international status. The talks failed at the last minute, but the progress made finally materialised in 1987 in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union.
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