Iceland is one of our world’s most interesting countries. So it’s fitting that it’s capital city of Reykjavik is one of the world’s most interesting cities. It’s population is only around 122 thousand, but still it is by far the largest city in Iceland. Iceland is a very small country. Reykjavik is the cultural and financial powerhouse of said country, and is increasingly becoming a tourist attraction. With it’s Viking origins it’s a unique place with unique monuments to ancient Norse warriors. It might be the most beautiful city I have ever been to, being surrounded by scenic mountains and beautiful green valleys. Yet few people know much about Reykjavik. I want to change that. One of the best things about visiting new places is learning about said places. It would be a shame to visit Iceland and leave without knowing a long list of facts about Reykjavik and it’s surrounding areas. So with that in mind I decided to write this article. Here are ten facts about Reykjavik.
10: She’s The World’s Northernmost Capital
Reykjavik is the most northern capital city of any nation in the world, being just below the arctic circle. Being so northern, the sky doesn’t ever get dark during summer months. It’s light outside no matter what time it is. This can confuse the body clock as it often doesn’t feel as late as it is. I visited during the late spring and even then it was never dark outside. It was the perfect time to explore the city. However during the winter there are days with almost no sunlight at all, and many with as little as four hours of it. But people like to visit in winter to see the northern lights. Hard to blame them.
9: Beer Was Only Recently Made Legal
Icelandic beer is actually very good, so you might be surprised to hear that until recently the consumption of beer was banned in Iceland. America’s prohibition is well known even know it ended in 1933. But in Iceland prohibition lasted until 1989. Every year the people of Iceland celebrate “Beer Day” on the date prohibition was lifted, and Icelandic beer had since gained recognition in it’s own right. Prohibition began in 1915 and was ended in part because many people ignored the laws, buying beer illegally or even brewing it themselves in secret. But more than half of the alcohol consumption in Iceland is now beer. I recommend a beer brand called Gull, I remember it being good.
8: Dogs Were Also Banned Until Recently
It wasn’t just beer that was banned within Reykjavik until the 1980s. Dogs were also banned from the city. Local government thought dogs belonged in smaller settlements and rural areas, but not in large cities. So dogs were legit banned in the capital city of Iceland. Without dogs, cats could wander the streets freely. Without the option of having a dog more people also bought cats, and so Reykjavik came to be known as the city of cats. In 1984 one man broke the ban by taking his dog Lucy into the city. He was reported to police who told him to hand over his dog. He refused and the scandal caused by this resulted in the dog ban laws being slightly repealed. However it was only in 2006 when the ban was fully lifted.
7: They Don’t Have McDonald’s
McDonald’s first began operations in Iceland back in 1993. They had big plans to dominate the market in Iceland just like they had in many other nations. But they never gained much traction within the small country and they gave up on Iceland in 2009 after the financial crisis was the last straw for them. They never returned, and so Reykjavik is the only European capital city not to have a single McDonald’s restaurant – apart from the capital of Albania. The hostel I stayed at when I visited Reykjavik had a McDonald’s burger inside a display cabinet that was labelled “The last Mcdonald’s in Iceland.” So that was weird.
6: Things Got Weird In WW2
During world war two Nazi Germany successfully invaded both Denmark and Norway. To prevent Iceland from becoming yet another Nazi stronghold, the British military invaded Iceland to occupy it. As Iceland had no military at the time the invasion was swift and effective – in fact the only casualty was a British soldier who killed themselves on the journey to Iceland. In the years that followed allied soldiers would make up half of all people within Reykjavik. This had a significant effect on local culture and infrastructure. The allies built two airports around the city and Reykjavik’s economy began to pick up. By the end of the war Iceland declared itself a republic, whereas it had previously been a kingdom under the King of Denmark. I can’t help but think the Allied presence during this time and the Nazi occupation of Denmark had something to do with this.
5: It Might Be Home To The Worst Food In The World
Some cultures are known for having good food. Iceland is not known for having bad food but it probably should be. It’s national dish is fermented shark – it’s literally rotten shark and genuinely the worst food I’ve ever eaten. It’s awful and much of the food you can find within Reykjavik is little better. An example is boiled sheep head. One of the most well known dish of this place is an entire sheep head boiled. It looks freaky af and has a similar taste. On the other hand, Icelandic street food is quite good. The hot dogs you can buy on the streets of Reykjavik are especially tasty.
4: Reykjavik Was Built On slavery
As the primary settlement of Iceland, the city was genuinely built by Viking explorers and warriors. For this reason the people of Reykjavik believed in the old Norse gods like Thor. Even after Christianity came to Iceland it was centuries before people stopped practicing Viking religion in secret. Being terrifying Vikings, many slaves were captured from nearby lands like Ireland and Scotland. They were transported to Iceland and put to work. Many of Reykjavik’s modern population are undoubtedly the descendants of said slaves. Most of their stories are unknown but there are tales of slaves becoming famous warriors and leaders of men. Yet when we think of nations built on slavery, Iceland doesn’t spring to mind.
3: Everyone In The City Speaks English
The Icelandic language is very complex – a unique descendant of Old Norse that slowly developed in this isolated island. As so few people speak it, the population of Iceland has largely been forced to learn English to consume materials from other nations. There are some small communities in the more rural parts of Iceland where you will only hear Icelandic spoken. But in Reykjavik you will mostly hear English. I didn’t encounter a single person unable to speak it. I even heard Icelandic natives talking to each other in English. This makes visiting the city a lot easier for obvious reasons, especially considering how mental the Icelandic language is.
2: Strip Clubs Are Illegal
You won’t find any strip clubs in Reykjavik as they were banned in 2010. I just thought that was interesting as most cities seem to have at least one, and couldn’t bring myself to not list it among other facts about Reykjavik. How could I?
1: It Was The First Permanent Settlement In Iceland
Reykjavik is believed to have been first settled in the late 9th century by the legendary Norwegian explorer Ingólfr Arnarson. He thought the location a perfect spot for settlement, being in a natural bay that could easily be used for shipping. Over a thousand years later it’s obvious how right he was, with over 60 percent of the population of Iceland calling Reykjavik home. If not for this location being made good use of, Iceland may not have survived even as a Viking colony, let alone as an independent country.