Þingeyri or Thingeyri, located 387 km north-west of Reykjavik, is a small village situated in Ísafjardarbaer municipality in the mountainous Westfjords peninsula on the coast of Dýrafjörður. Inhabited since 1787, it is sparsely populated, yet is one of the oldest settlements in the region. Its name is derived from ‘Þing’ which denotes a mediaeval assembly, and in the area ruins suggest that the location was indeed a meeting point where the assembly converged.
Þingeyri or Thingeyri, located 387 km north-west of Reykjavik, is a small village situated in Ísafjardarbaer municipality in the mountainous Westfjords peninsula on the coast of Dýrafjörður. Inhabited since 1787, it is sparsely populated, yet is one of the oldest settlements in the region. Its name is derived from ‘Þing’ which denotes a mediaeval assembly, and in the area ruins suggest that the location was indeed a meeting point where the assembly converged.
Its sheltered advantage proved to be a boon for local fishermen and over the years Þingeyri became an important fishing centre of the region. In fact, the French too sought permission to set up a fishing base in the 19th century, but were denied permission. Subsequently, the Americans set up a fishing base for halibut during the last two decades of the 19th century. A few years later, in 1909, the village had a hospital and a year later a church too was constructed in Þingeyri, which was consecrated in 1911.
Towards the end of the 20th century, in 1995, Þingeyri voted in favour of a merger with Ísafjörður, Suðureyri, Mýrahreppur, Mosvallahreppur and Flateyri. The village provides services to people in the region and has a bank, post office, shops, swimming pool, sports hall, restaurants and even a golf course, which is located close by. The coastal village, with historical significance, also boasts of a 109-year-old workshop, which is Iceland’s oldest functioning mechanic workshop, established in 1913 and also a quaint cafe which is in an old renovated Norwegian house. The region is also popular among hikers, who prefer to hike on the nearby Mount Sandafell. The village also has a cemetery of the French seamen, besides a camping ground, while Mount Kaldbakur, the highest mountain in the Westfjords is also located nearby.
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