Reydarfjordur (Reyðarfjörður) Town
Reydarfjordur (Reyðarfjörður) Town
At 30km in length, Reydarfjordur is the longest of the East Fjords. Originally a trading post, good harbor facilities allowed a thriving fishing industry to develop. You'll find a shopping center, bakery, and craft shop, cafes, and restaurants.
Following the construction of an Alcoa aluminum smelter and a hydro-electric power plant in the highlands nearby, the community has gone through a period of great change.
Many foreigners came to live and work here during the construction phase. Today the smelter provides jobs for around 450 people of whom one third are women, which is unusual in the aluminum industry.
A similar influx took place during World War II when British forces occupied Iceland and set up a base in Reyðarfjörður in July 1940. During the occupation, 3000 troops were stationed there, outnumbering the local inhabitants ten to one!
In 1995 a wartime museum was set up, showcasing buildings and memorabilia from the war year.
It is worth noting that Iceland has never been to war and has no armed forces of its own.