Akranes

Akranes is an Icelandic municipality and port city with a population of 6,625 inhabitants (2013 data). It is the county seat of Borgarfjardar. The municipality has an area of 8.2 square kilometers. It is the most populated and at the same time the smallest municipality in the Vesturland region.

History

The history of the city dates back to the Settlement Era (see Landnámabók), when 880 people of Irish origin settled in the area, a fertile region at the foot of Mount Akrafjall.

In the middle of the XVII century, Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson of the archbishopric of Skálholtmoved several boats to begin fishing in that area, creating the first fishing post in the entire country. This activity has continued to this day.

In 1864 the city obtained royal guarantees to become a commercial center, which promoted the establishment of many companies aimed at the exchange of agricultural products from the interior of the country with seafood.

The city status would be granted in 1924, marking the beginning of its population growth. Likewise, another phenomenon that produced the development of this urban center was the establishment of a cement factory in 1958.

The city is expected to grow gradually in the coming years due to the growth of the industrial sector, as well as improvements in communications with the capital. In 1998 the 5,570 km Hvalfjörður tunnel under the Hvalfjörður (whale fjord) was opened. This reduced the distance between Akranes and Reykjavík by 45 km.

Panoramics of Akranes Port.

Other information of interest

Akranes has a long football tradition and its team, ÍA Akranes has been the winner of the national league on many occasions.

Within the city there are municipal buses (strætó) that can be used for free.