Ólafsvík
Encyclopedia
Ólafsvík is a fishing town on the western end of the Snæfellsnes
peninsula in Iceland
.
, it had 1,010 inhabitants. It is situated in the county of Snæfellsnes- og Hnappadalssýsla
, in the region of Vesturland
and it is the administrative centre of the municipality of Snæfellsbær
.
, the town was the first town in Iceland to receive a license from the Danish king to do commerce. This event took place in the 17th century. The's economy is based on fishing industry and commerce, as well as on services for farmers in the area.
The nature around Ólafsvík affords numerous recreation opportunities, such as hiking trails, long sandy beaches, and snowmobiling on the volcano
Snæfellsjökull
.
Near Ólafsvík is the town of Hellissandur
, where the tallest structure of Western Europe, the Gufuskálar radio mast
, (height: 412 metres) is situated.
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...
peninsula in 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...
.
, it had 1,010 inhabitants. It is situated in the county of Snæfellsnes- og Hnappadalssýsla
Snæfellsnes- og Hnappadalssýsla
Snæfellsnes- og Hnappadalssýsla is a county of Iceland. It is located in the Vesturland region of the country. Its cities are Snæfellsbær, Grundarfjörður and Stykkishólmur. The glacier Snæfellsjökull is located within the area....
, in the region of Vesturland
Vesturland
Vesturland is one of the traditional eight regions of Iceland, located on the western side of the island. The biggest town in the region is Akranes, with a population of 6300....
and it is the administrative centre of the municipality of Snæfellsbær
Snæfellsbær
Snæfellsbær is a municipality located in western Iceland.As of January 1, 2011, it had a total population of 1,723. The total area is 684 km². Its administrative centre is Ólafsvík and the majority of the residents live in Ólafsvík, Rif and Hellissandur....
.
Overview
Because of its situation at the entrance of the fjord BreiðafjörðurBreiðafjörður
Breiðafjörður is a large shallow bay, about 50 km wide and 125 km long and located in the west of Iceland. It separates the region of the Westfjords from the rest of the country. Breiðafjörður is encircled by mountains, including glacier Snæfellsjökull the Snæfellsnes peninsula on the south side...
, the town was the first town in Iceland to receive a license from the Danish king to do commerce. This event took place in the 17th century. The's economy is based on fishing industry and commerce, as well as on services for farmers in the area.
The nature around Ólafsvík affords numerous recreation opportunities, such as hiking trails, long sandy beaches, and snowmobiling on the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
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...
.
Near Ólafsvík is the town of Hellissandur
Hellissandur
Hellissandur is a village and part of the Snæfellsbær municipality at the north-western tip of Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland.Once an important fishing area, the village has experienced growth in tourism. The maritime museum has examples of the turf-roof houses once common across Iceland,...
, where the tallest structure of Western Europe, the Gufuskálar radio mast
Longwave radio mast Hellissandur
The Longwave radio mast Hellissandur is a 412 metre high guyed radio mast for longwave transmissions at Gufuskálar in the vicinity of Hellissandur on the peninsula Snæfellsnes of Iceland. This mast, which is the tallest structure in Western Europe, is insulated against ground and guyed in 5 levels...
, (height: 412 metres) is situated.