Hallur Hallsson

Hallur Hallsson is a leading journalist, writer, and historian in Iceland. Former TV anchor who worked at both leading TV networks; State TV and TV 2. He worked at Iceland‘s leading newspaper Morgunblaðið and was one of the founders of Dagblaðið.

Hallur Hallsson

China Iceland

The Icelandic geothermal model is changing China

Hallur Hallsson

Arctic Green Energy’s joint venture with China’s Sinopec has become the world’s largest and fastest growing geothermal district...

Iceland - China sefood trade

Icelandic China seafood led by Brim of Reykjavík

Hallur Hallsson

Free Trade Agreement leads to Iceland’s quest to China’s huge markets Brim of Reykjavík is Iceland’s largest fishing...

Tiny Iceland is moving mountains with China in the geothermal field

Hallur Hallsson

Interview with Guðni A. Jóhannesson, director general of Orkustofnun the National Energy Authority of Iceland Orkustofnun – the...

Ambassador Ólafur Egilsson

Evolving diplomatic relationship since 1971

Hallur Hallsson

Interview with Ambassador Ólafur Egilsson Iceland and China established diplomatic relations in 1971. In February 1972, US President...

Iceland’s Struggle for its Fishing Grounds

Iceland’s Struggle for its Fishing Grounds

Hallur Hallsson

Iceland’s rich fishing grounds in the High North of the North Atlantic reach an area beyond the Polar...

Jin Zhijian

The Amazing Story of Iceland, China & Ambassador Zhijian

Hallur Hallsson

Jin Zhijian – China’s Ambassador to Iceland – is not the average diplomat. He arrived in Iceland to...

Into the glacier

Deep into the Mystical Langjökull Glacier

Hallur Hallsson

A couple of hours from Reykjavík is the mystical Langjökull – Long Glacier – Iceland‘s second largest glacier....

Urta Islandica

Urta Islandica – a little taste of Iceland

Hallur Hallsson

Iceland is one of the World’s purest country. Its unique nature is not only beautiful but also tasty....

Arctic Ísland Atlantic

UK better partner outside EU than sceptical within?

Hallur Hallsson

HM Ambassador Michael Nevin in an exclusive interview with Icelandic Times It’s Friday morning 26th of July at...

Golden Circle Villas

Villas in the midst of the Golden Circle

Hallur Hallsson

Golden Circle Villas, on the banks of Hvítá, White river, is centrally located in a truly special place...

Icelandic Sheep

Where sheep lives, man lives

Hallur Hallsson

Sheep have roamed the Highlands and mountains of Iceland ever since Vikings started settling the land in the...

Reykjavík Art Museum

Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhúsíð

Hallur Hallsson

Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús: the old harbor warehouse is located in the oldest part of Reykjavík where...

Reykjavík Art Museum - Ásmundarsafn

Reykjavík Art Museum – Ásmundarsafn

Hallur Hallsson

The sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson (1893– 1982) designed, worked and lived in this beautiful building. The white dome structure...

Kjarvalsstaðir

Reykjavík Art Museum – Kjarvalsstaðir

Hallur Hallsson

Kjarvalstaðir houses the works of one of Iceland’s most influential and recognized artists, Jóhannes S. Kjarval (1885-1972). The...

Borðeyri revisits its amazing heritage “… to get commerce into the hands of the Icelanders so that the dividend goes to the natives and not out of the country.” By Hrútafjörður – Fjord of Rams – in the North-west of Iceland is the tiny village Borðeyri which literally means Plank at Sea. Borðeyri with sixteen inhabitants in 2018 is rich in history as it was one of Iceland’s busiest anchorage that dates back to the Settlement of Iceland in the 8th century. It was Ingimundur gamli – Old Ingimundur – the Viking settler at Hof in nearby Vatnsdalur who named the Fjord as he saw two Rams running down the hills as well as a huge plank by the sea-side. Hrútafjördur is a long fjord south of Húnaflói – Bay of Bears. Ingimundur gamli fought along with Norwegian king Harald Fairhair in the historical battle at Hafangursfjord 872. The story goes that Ingimundur gamli later gave the King two Polar Bears cubs captured in Iceland. The gift was well appreciated as Polar Bears had never before been seen in Norway. Ingimundur gamli was held in high esteem in the country of his ancestors. Tale of mixed fortunes During Iceland’s Commonwealth era 930-1262, Bordeyri was a quite busy anchorage but as Iceland came under Norse rule 1262 and later Danish rule in the late 1300’s during the Kalmar Union as Norway collapsed, Bordeyri gradually declined. During the dark Monopoly Trade Period 1602-1787 there are no recorded ship arrivals as it was forbidden to trade at Borðeyri with Iceland being a colony sold to highest trading bidders. However Borðeyri got township by law from Althing in 1846 as Iceland started its road to freedom and the tiny village was quite busy well into the 20th century. The first ship to sail to Borðeyri arrived in June 1848. Slowly but surely traffic increased and hundreds of farmers and their spouses gathered in the busy village to trade aboard the ships. Pétur Eggerz (1831-1892) educated in Great Britain is recognized as Borðeyri’s founding father. He was the first merchant to move to Borðeyri. Eggerz built a turf farm in 1858 and two years later warehouse and in 1860’s Eggerz built the faktorshouse. His son Sigurður Eggerz 1875-1945 was Iceland’s Prime Minister 1914-15 and 1922-24. In 1870 Pétur Eggerz along with his brother-in-law Páll Vídalín and farmers in the district established a Community Store at the Faktorshouse. Their vision was clear as to “… get commerce into the hands of the Icelanders so that the dividend goes to the natives and not out of the country.” Eggerz became store manager. The Faktorshouse later became known as the Riis-house named after merchant Richard Riis who later moved to Borðeyri. Quest for sovereignty Iceland’s quest for sovereignty started in the late 1900’s and in 1904 the country got home rule and Sovereignty in 1918 with a Danish King. Iceland declared Independence in 1944 when the Danes were occupied by nazi Germany in World War II while Borðeyri was occupied by the British 1940-1943. Borðeyri was by then well and alive with main actor being Kaupfélag Hrútfirðinga – Fjord of Ramsers Co-Op, member of Iceland’s Co-Operative Society by then far the largest company in Iceland. However the Co-Op crumbled in the early 1990’s when 20th century Iceland started to say farewell, as did Borðeyri. Plássið, in translation The Place, being the old Borðeyri of ten houses with 16 inhabitants, was in April 2019 declared protectorate by Iceland’s Cultural Ministry. The rebuilding is underway as Borðeyri revisits its amazing heritage.

Borðeyri revisits its amazing heritage

Hallur Hallsson

“… to get commerce into the hands of the Icelanders so that the dividend goes to the natives...

Atlantsflug fly tours

Roll up for the Magical Mystery Tour

Hallur Hallsson

The Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away, take you today. Vatnajökull – Water Glacier. One...

The Old Box

The Old Box

Hallur Hallsson

Húsavík’s Gamli Baukur has a rich history Gamli Baukur – ‘The Old Box’ – has been a landmark...

Finnafjörður Harbour Project

Gateway to the Arctic Ocean

Hallur Hallsson

Development of a Container Port at Finnafjörður is taking shape. Iceland will become the Gateway to the Arctic...

GeoSea Hot Baths

Clifftop Bathing

Hallur Hallsson

Húsavík’s Unique GeoSea Hot Baths At the awesome GeoSea baths, set on top of Húsavíkurhöfði – ‘Húsavík Cliff’...

Fáskrúðsfjörður

Fáskrúðsfjörður & its rich French heritage

Hallur Hallsson

In the early 16th century, the French started fishing cod in the rich Icelandic waters. They began modestly...

1 2 3

Shopping cart0

There are no products in the cart!

Continue shopping

0