Bessastaðir () is the official residence of the

president of Iceland The president of Iceland ( is, Forseti Íslands) is the head of state of Iceland. The incumbent is Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, who is now in his second term as president, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir as ...

. It is situated in

Álftanes Álftanes () is the name of a town and a collection of small peninsulas in Iceland. It means ''swan peninsula''. The best known of these peninsulas extrudes from the eastern part of Reykjanes with the town of the same name in the Capital Regio ...

, about from the capital city,

Reykjavík Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a po ...

History

Bessastaðir was first settled in 1000. It became one of

Snorri Sturluson Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of the ...

's farms in the 13th century. After Snorri's murder in September 1241, Bessastaðir was claimed by the King of Norway. Thereafter it became a Royal stronghold and the dwellings of the King's highest-ranking officers and officials in Iceland. It resisted an attack by Turkish slave raiders in July 1627. In the late 18th century Bessastaðir was changed into a school for a few years, before becoming a farm. In 1867 the farm was purchased by the poet and statesman

Grímur Thomsen Grímur Thomsen (May 15, 1820 – November 27, 1896), Icelandic poet and editor, was born in Bessastaðir in 1820. He was the son of Þorgrímur Tómasson, a goldsmith. In 1837, he went to the University of Copenhagen, where he studied law and ...

, who lived there for almost two decades. Among later owners were editor and parliamentarian

Skúli Thoroddsen Skúli Thoroddsen (6 January 1859 – 21 May 1916) was an Icelandic judge and politician. Career Thoroddsen was a Speaker of the Althing. Family He was married to poet Theodóra Thoroddsen. His great-granddaughter is Katrín Jakobsdóttir, ...

, and his wife,

Theodóra Thoroddsen Theodóra Friðrika Guðmundsdóttir Thoroddsen (1 July 1863 – 23 February 1954) was an Icelandic poet, folktale collector, translator, and sewing and textile artist. Life Theodóra was born at Kvennabrekka in the Dalasýslur region of Icelan ...

, who was well known for her literary works. In 1940 Sigurður Jónasson bought Bessastaðir and donated it to the state in 1941 as a residence for the Regent and later the President of Iceland.

Photo gallery

Image:Bessastaðir_1834.jpg Image:OB090126c-3053 Bessastadir.JPG

References

External links

Bessastaðir — the Presidential Residence
Official residences in Iceland Presidential residences {{palace-stub