Húsavík

Iceland
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/place/Husavik
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Húsavík, town, northern Iceland. It lies along Skjálfandi Bay, northeast of Akureyri, and is the oldest settlement in Iceland. According to legend, Húsavík (“Bay of the Houses”) was so named because a Swedish seafarer, Gardar, blown off course, built a house and wintered there in 864. In the 1880s one of Iceland’s first cooperatives was organized there. Húsavík is a fishing port and serves as a market centre for a dairy-farming and sheep-raising area. Pop. (2006 est.) 2,296.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.