Faxaflói (ˈfaxsaˌflou.ɪ), formerly known in English as Faxa Bay and Faxe Bay, is a bay

Headlands and bays

Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...

 in Southwest-Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

 between the peninsulas of Snæfellsnes

Snæfellsnes

The Snæfellsnes is a peninsula situated to the west of Borgarfjörður, in western of Iceland.It has been named Iceland in Miniature, as many national sights can be found in the area, including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland. With its height of 1446 m, it...

 and Reykjanes

Reykjanes

Reykjanes or Reykjanesskagi is a peninsula and a volcanic system situated at the south-western end of Iceland, near the capital of Reykjavík....

.

The capital of the island, Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...

, is situated on its southern shore. From Reykjavik it is possible to see the peninsula of Akranes

Akranes

Akranes is a port town and municipality located on the west coast of Iceland.It is the ninth most populous town in Iceland after Mosfellsbær and Árborg with a population of 6,623 people...

 in the north-east and even the Snæfellsjökull

Snæfellsjökull

Snæfellsjökull is a 700,000 year old stratovolcano with a glacier covering its summit in western Iceland. The name of the mountain is actually Snæfell, but it is normally called "Snæfellsjökull" to distinguish it from two other mountains with this name...

 at a distance of about 120 km (75 mi).

Faxaflói has always been a source of nourishment of the people living on its shore. In former times, fishermen went out in small boats to fish near the shore. Today the ships are much bigger, but have to go farther out to sea if they wish to catch fish.

Just north of Reykjavík in Kollafjörður is the small island Viðey

Videy

Viðey is the largest island of the Kollafjörður Bay in Iceland, near the capital of Reykjavík.It is the location of the Imagine Peace Tower, which is a "Tower of Light" envisioned and built by Yoko Ono, widow of Beatle John Lennon. According to the Associated Press: "The tower is a beam of light,...

. It has been inhabited since 1943 but a former settlement has been proven from the 10th century onwards. During the 12th century a chapel was constructed, and a monastery was founded in 1225, existing till the final assertion of Reformation

Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...

by the end of the 16th century. The island and the remains of the settlement can be visited by taking a ferry from Reykjavík harbour.