Húsavík
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 Location of Húsavík in Iceland (upper right) |
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| County | Suður-Þingeyjarsýsla | ||
| Constituency | Northeast | ||
| Area | 270 km² ( 104.25mi²) | ||
| Population Total (2006) Density |
2,296 9.09/km² |
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| Postal codes | 640, 645 | ||
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Latitude |
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| Municipal website | |||
Húsavík is a small town in the north of Iceland on the shores of Skjálfandi bay.
The income of the inhabitants is derived from tourism and fishing, as well as retail and small industry.
Húsavík has become a centre of whale watching in the north due to whales of different species that frequently enter the bay. It is also home to the Icelandic Phallological Museum,[1] which contains specimens from every mammal that lives in Iceland.
Viking Garðar Svavarsson was the first confirmed human to spend a winter on the island. He gave the island the name Garðarshólmi. A monument near the schoolhouse remembers him.
The town's church was built in 1907.
The region of Mývatn, with its interesting geology and diverse animal life, is nearby. Húsavík used to export silica that was extracted from the lake.
[edit] References
- ^ Strong, Bob. "Icelandic museum offers long and short of male organ", Reuters, 2008-05-15.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website (English) (Icelandic)
- The harbour
- Whalewatching and information about whales
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