Egilsstadir (Egilsstaðir) Town
Egilsstadir (Egilsstaðir) Town
Egilsstaðir is a modern town and regional centre for the fjord communities and inland farming districts of the east of Iceland.
The oldest house in the town dates from 1944 and expansion of the fledgling community was rapid due to its strategic position at a crossroads of routes to the fjord towns. Today the town has a population of 2,300, with a further 400 in the neighbouring Fellabær community, across the river.
The contruction of Iceland's largest dam at Kárahnjúkar in the eastern highlands brought economic growth to the region, and many new houses were built at that time. The region’s main airport is sited at Egilsstaðir.
With hotels, shops, restaurants, cafes and a swimming pool, it has most services you’d expect from a thriving town. The handicraft shop in the Miðvangur shopping complex in the centre of town is worth a visit. You will also find a helpful tourist information centre there.
The East Iceland Heritage Museum is an extensive collection of historic artefacts from the local area.
Just outside the town, you’ll find the milky glacially-fed Lake Lagarfljót. Legend has it that a monstrous serpent is chained to the lake floor but manages to rise from its depths from time to time.