Tórshavn (;
lit. "
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, an ...
's harbour"), usually locally referred to as simply ''Havn'', is the capital and largest city of the
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of
Streymoy. To the northwest of the city lies the mountain
Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the Kirkjubøreyn. They are separated by the Sandá River. The city itself has a population of 13,957 (2022), and the greater urban area has a population of 21,078, including the suburbs of
Hoyvik and
Argir
Argir ( da, Arge) is a village in the Faroe Islands.
Argir most likely takes its name from Old Irish ''airge'' meaning ''summer pasture''.; several placenames in Faroe carry the same name with this meaning. Once a village south of Tórshavn, Arg ...
.
The
Norse (
Scandinavians
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
) established their parliament on the
Tinganes
Tinganes is the historic location of the Faroese landsstýri (government), and is a part of Tórshavn. The name means "parliament jetty" or "parliament point" in Faroese.
The parliament met there for the first time in the Viking ages when No ...
peninsula in AD 850. Tórshavn thus became the capital of the Faroe Islands and has remained so ever since. Early on, Tórshavn became the centre of the islands' trade monopoly, thereby being the only legal place for the islanders to sell and buy goods. In 1856, the trade monopoly was abolished and the islands were left open to free trade.
History
Early history
It is not known whether the site of Tórshavn was of interest to the Irish monks who were
probably the first settlers in the Faroes. The Viking settlers in the 9th century established their own parliaments, called ''
tings'', in different parts of the islands, it being the tradition in each case to hold the ''ting'' at a neutral and thus uninhabited place, so no one location gave anyone an advantage. According to romantics, the main ''ting'' for the islands was convoked in Tórshavn in 825, on
Tinganes
Tinganes is the historic location of the Faroese landsstýri (government), and is a part of Tórshavn. The name means "parliament jetty" or "parliament point" in Faroese.
The parliament met there for the first time in the Viking ages when No ...
, the
peninsula that divides the harbour into two parts: ''Eystaravág'' and ''Vestaravág''.
The Vikings would thus meet on the flat rocks of Tinganes every summer, as the most central place on the islands, although there was no settlement at Tinganes at that time. The
Færeyinga Saga
The Færeyinga saga (), the saga of the Faroe Islands, is the story of how the Faroe Islanders were converted to Christianity and became a part of Norway.
Summary
It was written in Iceland shortly after 1200. The author is unknown and the original ...
says: "the place of the ''ting'' of the Faroese was on Streymoy, and there is the harbour that is called Tórshavn". The Viking age ended in 1035. The ''ting'' was followed by a market which gradually grew into a permanent trading area.
All through the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, the narrow peninsula jutting out into the sea made up the main part of Tórshavn. It belonged to the outfield of two farmers. Unlike other Faroese villages, Tórshavn was never a distinct farming community. During the 12th century, all trade between Norway and the Faroes, along with other tributary islands to the west, became centralised in
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
.
In 1271, a royal trade monopoly was established in Tórshavn by the Norwegian Crown. According to a document from 1271, two ships would sail regularly to Tórshavn from Bergen with cargoes of salt, timber and cereal. Tórshavn therefore had more contact with the outside world than did the other villages. Under the Norwegian, and then Danish rule, government officials made Tórshavn their home. All of these things, combined with the fact that Tórshavn was the seat of the ''ting'' of the islands, influenced the town's development.
1500–1800
![Tórshavn skansin 8](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/T%C3%B3rshavn_skansin_8.jpg)
Sources do not mention a built-up area in Tórshavn until after the Protestant reformation in 1539. In ca. 1580 a small fort,
Skansin
Skansin is a historic fortress in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands.
Skansin is located on a hill beside the port of Tórshavn. The fort was built in 1580 by Magnus Heinason to protect against pirate raids of the town, after he himself ...
, was built by the Faroese naval hero and trader
Magnus Heinason
Magnus Heinason (Mogens Heinesøn) (1548 – 18 January 1589) was a Faroese naval hero, trader and privateer.
Magnus Heinason served William the Silent and his son Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange for 10 years as a privateer, fighting t ...
at the north end of the harbour. Later small fortifications were built at Tinganes.
In 1584 Tórshavn had 101 inhabitants. The population was divided into three equally large groups made up of farmers, their families and servants, trade and government officials and people who owned no land and therefore not much else; this included the landless
proletariat
The proletariat (; ) is the social class of wage-earners, those members of a society whose only possession of significant economic value is their labour power (their capacity to work). A member of such a class is a proletarian. Marxist philo ...
from the villages that during this period came to Tórshavn in search of work. They were set to guard duty on Skansin without pay, and for clothing and food they depended on the bounty of the farmers.
In 1655 king
Frederick III of Denmark granted the Faroe Islands to his favourite statesman
Kristoffer Gabel
Christoffer Gabel (6 January 1617 – 13 October 1673) was a Danish statesman.
Biography
He was born on 6 January 1617 at Glückstadt.Bruun (2008), p.110Bricka (1891), p.512 His father, Wulbern or Waldemar Gabel, originally a cartographer and ...
, the rule of the von Gabel Family, 1655–1709, is known as ''Gablatíðin''. It is the darkest chapter in the history of Tórshavn. Gabel's administration suppressed the islanders in various ways. The trade monopoly was in the family's hands and it was not designed for the needs of the Faroese people. People across the country brought products into town and had to be satisfied with whatever price they were given. At the same time imported goods were limited and expensive. There came considerable complaints from the islands' inhabitants of unjust treatment by the civil administration in Tórshavn. These not only included the persons in charge of the monopoly trade, but also the
bailiff and others. It was during this period, in 1673, that Tinganes was ravaged by a fire after a store of gunpowder kept at Tinganes had blown up. Many old houses burnt to the ground and old Faroese records were lost as were Gabel's documents.
Conditions improved in Tórshavn when the trade monopoly became a royal monopoly in 1709. The
Danish royal trade monopoly was supplied with goods from
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
three times a year. However, in 1709 Tórshavn was hit by a plague of smallpox, killing nearly the entire population. The town had by this time reached a population of 300 and 250 of the inhabitants died. Still, it was during the latter half of the 18th century that Tórshavn started to develop into a small town. This was while Niels Ryberg was in charge of the trade monopoly. From 1768 and during the next 20 years onwards Ryberg was allowed to carry on an entrepot trade which was mainly based on smuggling to England. Because of the French-British conflict there was room for this kind of operation. In Tórshavn his warehouses filled up with goods. Ryberg was the first person who thought of making a financial profit from fishing, which later became the most important economic factor to the islands. He experimented with salted cod and herring but at this point in time nothing much beyond this happened.
Tórshavn Cathedral
Tórshavn Cathedral ( fo, Havnar Kirkja, or ''Dómkirkjan'') is the second oldest received church of the Faroe Islands, on Tinganes in the old town of Tórshavn. was first built in 1788 and partly rebuilt in 1865. Since 1990, it has been the seat of the Bishop of the Faroe Islands (in the
Church of the Faroe Islands).
1800–present
![Recherche Expedition 1839 Tórshavn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Recherche_Expedition_1839_T%C3%B3rshavn.jpg)
On 30 March 1808, during the Anglo-Danish
Gunboat War
The Gunboat War (, ; 1807–1814) was a naval conflict between Denmark–Norway and the British during the Napoleonic Wars. The war's name is derived from the Danish tactic of employing small gunboats against the materially superior Royal Na ...
, the entered Tórshavn and briefly captured the fort at Skansin. The fort surrendered without firing a shot as the landing party approached. The ''Clio''s men
spiked the fort's eight 18-pounder guns and took all the smaller guns and weapons before leaving. Shortly after 6 May a German privateer who had assumed the name "Baron von Hompesch" plundered the defenceless city and seized the property of the Danish Crown Monopoly. The Admiralty Prize Court, however, refused to condemn it as a lawful prize.
![Logting 1864, faroe islands](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Logting_1864%2C_faroe_islands.jpg)
In 1856, free trade came to the Faroe Islands. By opening the islands to the world, it transformed the economy, with Tórshavn at its centre.
In 1866, Tórshavn's town council was founded. The town has been the capital of the Faroe Islands ever since. Later, in 1909, Tórshavn became a market town with the same municipal charter as Danish market towns. In 1913, the Danish
Folketing
The Folketing ( da, Folketinget, ; ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark—Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands ...
granted DKK 810,000 to construction of a harbour in Tórshavn. Local waves are , the waters are icefree and have a tidal variation of , and storms from the west are mitigated by the gentle eastwards slope of the mountains. Other harbours were also benefitted with an 80% grant to a total build cost of DKK 1.6 million.
In 1927, Tórshavn had a modern harbour built. This made it possible for larger ships to berth.
During the
British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II
The British occupation of the Faroe Islands during World War II, also known as Operation Valentine, was implemented immediately following the German invasion of Denmark and Norway. It was a small component of the roles of Nordic countries in Wo ...
, Skansin was used as the headquarters of the Royal Navy Command, and two 5.5-inch guns used aboard before World War II were deployed.
In 1974, the neighbouring villages
Hoyvík
Hoyvík is a town in the Faroe Islands. It is part of the Tórshavn Municipality, and de facto is merged as a northern suburb of Tórshavn, the Faroese capital.
History
Hoyvík is believed to be a very old settlement. An early source is the ' ...
and
Hvítanes were made part of the town area. Later, even more municipalities joined the Tórshavn municipality. In 1978 Kaldbak, in 1997 Argir, in 2001 Kollafjørður, and finally in 2005, Kirkjubøur, Hestur, and Nólsoy.
Climate
![Tórshavn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/T%C3%B3rshavn.2009.5.jpg)
Tórshavn features a
subpolar oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
(''
Cfc''), with strong moderation from the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
's
Norwegian Current
The Norwegian Current (also known as the Norway Coastal Current) is one of two dominant arctic inflows of water. It can be traced from near Shetland, north of Scotland, otherwise from the eastern North Sea at depths of up to 100 metres. It finally ...
. In winter, Tórshavn tends to be under direct influence of the
Icelandic Low
The Icelandic Low is a semi-permanent centre of low atmospheric pressure found between Iceland and southern Greenland and extending in the Northern Hemisphere winter into the Barents Sea. In the summer, it weakens and splits into two centres, on ...
, which usually brings overcast and stormy weather to the Faroe Islands. Because of its cloudiness and the ice-free water surrounding Tórshavn, its winter temperatures are exceptionally mild for such a northerly location, with winter daytime temperatures usually oscillating around . However, summer temperatures are much lower than those found in continental Scandinavia on similar latitudes, and barely exceed in the warmest month. The moderation also causes the extremes amplitude to be very low: in the period from 1961 to 2021, it was a mere between the absolute warmest and coldest temperatures. Temperatures below freezing may occur in any non-summer month, but even in winter, the average daily lows stay well above .
Average monthly precipitation is highest in autumn and winter, peaking in January, due to the activity of the
Icelandic Low
The Icelandic Low is a semi-permanent centre of low atmospheric pressure found between Iceland and southern Greenland and extending in the Northern Hemisphere winter into the Barents Sea. In the summer, it weakens and splits into two centres, on ...
. May, June and July, on the other hand, are markedly drier but still receive substantial rainfall.
Politics and government
Tórshavn is the capital of the Faroe Islands, and as such is the seat of the Faroes’
self rule government. The government holds the executive power in local government affairs. Today a part of the government is located on the
Tinganes
Tinganes is the historic location of the Faroese landsstýri (government), and is a part of Tórshavn. The name means "parliament jetty" or "parliament point" in Faroese.
The parliament met there for the first time in the Viking ages when No ...
peninsula of Tórshavn. The Prime Minister's office is there and the Ministry of Internal Affairs was also there until it was closed in 2013. The other ministries are located in other office buildings in various places in Tórshavn, i.e. the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs are located near the
Hospital of the Faroes in Eirargarður, and the Ministry of Finance is located in
Argir
Argir ( da, Arge) is a village in the Faroe Islands.
Argir most likely takes its name from Old Irish ''airge'' meaning ''summer pasture''.; several placenames in Faroe carry the same name with this meaning. Once a village south of Tórshavn, Arg ...
in a building called Albert Hall on the street Kvíggjartún.
The parliament, the
Løgting
The Løgting (pronounced ; da, Lagtinget) is the unicameral parliament of the Faroe Islands, an autonomous territory within the Danish Realm.
The name literally means "''Law Thing''"—that is, a law assembly—and derives from Old Norse ''l ...
, which was originally located on Tinganes, was relocated to the town square, Vaglið, in 1856.
Mayors of Tórshavn
Sport
![Drekin a Faroese Row Boat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Drekin_a_Faroese_Row_Boat.jpg)
Tórshavn, as the capital city, is the centre of sport in the islands; the largest sports centre is located in the
Gundadalur
Gundadalur is the name of an area in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. It is home to three different football pitches and other sports facilities. The largest one is the national stadium Tórsvøllur, a multi-use stadium.
Overview
The actual Gundadal ...
district of Tórshavn. Also, the largest football stadium,
Tórsvøllur
Tórsvøllur is a football stadium on the sport site of Gundadalur in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. The stadium holds 5,000 people, and was built in 1999 to become the country's national stadium to provide an artificial grass surfa ...
, is located here, seating 6,000 spectators. The stadium serves as home to the
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team ( fo, Føroyska fótbóltsmanslandsliðið) represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is governed by the Faroe Islands Football Association (FSF). The FSF became a member of FIFA in 198 ...
. Around the city there are also two other football pitches, indoor tennis courts, badminton courts and a swimming pool.
The city has several football clubs, including three
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
teams:
HB Tórshavn,
B36 Tórshavn
B36 Tórshavn ( fo, Bóltfelagið 1936 Tórshavn) is a Faroe Islands, Faroese semi professional Association football, football club based in the capital of Tórshavn, playing in the Faroe Islands Premier League, the top tier of Faroese football. ...
and
Argja Bóltfelag
Argja Bóltfelag is a Professional Faroese football club based in Argir. They were playing their 2020 third season in the Faroe Islands Premier League, after being promoted from 1. deild after playing there for 1 season in 2017. After the 2020 se ...
. Other football clubs with connections to the city are
FF Giza
Fótbóltsfelagið Giza, commonly known as FF Giza, was a Faroese football club from Tórshavn.
History
The club was founded in 2008 by some friends, who played for another club called NÍF (Nólsoyar Ítróttarfelag, founded in 1968) at the t ...
(
Nólsoy Nólsoy (previously also ''Nölsoy''; da, Nolsø; non, Norsey) is an island and village in central Faroe Islands, 4 km east of the capital Tórshavn in Streymoy.
Description
Nólsoy is the lowest of the Faroes; the highest point is Eggjark ...
),
FC Hoyvík
FC Hoyvík was a Faroese football club, which merged with FF Giza in 2012. The new club was called Giza Hoyvík and later changed its name to FC Hoyvík. This incarnation of FC Hoyvík was previously named ÍF Fram Tórshavn (Tórshavn Forwa ...
and
Undrið FF
Undrið FF is a Faroe Islands, Faroese Football (soccer), football team from the Faroese capital (political), capital Tórshavn. The team also plays at the Hoyvíkvøllur. The club was founded 18 January 2006, under the name ''Undrið FF''. This ...
.
Handball
Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...
is the second most popular sport in Tórshavn. The city's handball teams are
Kyndil,
Neistin
Neistin is a Faroese handball club in Tórshavn
Tórshavn (; lit. "Thor's harbour"), usually locally referred to as simply ''Havn'', is the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east co ...
and
Ítróttafelagið H71 and the
Faroe Island's national handball team practice in the city. Tórshavn city has several popular
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...
clubs, including,
Havnar Róðrarfelag and
Róðrarfelagið Knørrur.
Every year in July the
Tour of Faroe Islands, which is a
road bicycle race
Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The two most common ...
, is held around the islands. The race is called ''Kring Føroyar'' (Tour de Faroe / Around the Faroes), it starts in
Klaksvík
Klaksvík is the second largest town of the Faroe Islands behind Tórshavn. The town is located on Borðoy, which is one of the northernmost islands (the Norðoyar). It is the administrative centre of Klaksvík municipality.
History
The first ...
and ends in Tórshavn.
Music
The Tórshavn Jazz Festival has been held annually since 1983. It attracts musicians from all over North America and Europe and has become a popular tourist event.
Transport
![Torshavn](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Torshavn.png)
The harbour is served by the
Smyril Line
Smyril Line is a Faroese shipping company, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland. It previously also served Norway and the United Kingdom. is the Faroese word for the merlin.
History
Since 1983, the company has operated a r ...
international ferry service to
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
and
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
. The harbour is also used by domestic ferry services of
Strandfaraskip Landsins within the Faroe Islands, chiefly on the route to
Tvøroyri
Tvøroyri is a village on the north side of the Trongisvágsfjørður on the east coast of Suðuroy island in the Faroe Islands. Together with Froðba, Trongisvágur, Líðin and Øravík it forms Tvøroyri Municipality.
The village is considered ...
.
The town is served by
Bussleiðin – a network of local buses, with the service identified by its red livery. Bussleiðin has five routes and is operated under contract by Gundurs Bussar P/F. Buses within Tórshavn have been completely free of charge since 2007. In addition, there is a helipad by the coast.
Sites of interest
![Faroe stamp 272 national art museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Faroe_stamp_272_national_art_museum.jpg)
*
Tinganes
Tinganes is the historic location of the Faroese landsstýri (government), and is a part of Tórshavn. The name means "parliament jetty" or "parliament point" in Faroese.
The parliament met there for the first time in the Viking ages when No ...
, the old part of town, is still made up of small wooden houses covered with turf roofs. The oldest one dates back 500 years.
*
Tórshavn Cathedral
Tórshavn Cathedral ( fo, Havnar Kirkja, or ''Dómkirkjan'') is the second oldest received church of the Faroe Islands, on Tinganes in the old town of Tórshavn. , the second oldest church in the country.
* Tórshavn harbour.
*
Fort Skansin, a historic site dating back to the sixteenth century
*
Listasavn Føroya City map detail of Tórshavn, the museum is marked red.
Listasavn Føroya (National Gallery of the Faroe Islands) is an art museum in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands for mostly permanent exhibits of Faroese arts.
Established in 1989, it consists of a gal ...
, the Faroese art museum.
* The main church, Vesturkirkjan, with outside art work by
Hans Pauli Olsen
Hans Pauli Olsen (born August 24, 1957 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands) is a Faroese sculptor currently living in Denmark, and held in high regard.
He is one of the most popular artists in the Faroes. His work is found not only in art galleries but ...
.
* The
Nordic House in the Faroe Islands
The Nordic House ( fo, Norðurlandahúsið) is a cultural institution in the Faroe Islands. Its aim is to support and promote Nordic countries, Nordic and Faroe Islands, Faroese culture, locally and in the Nordic region.
History
Erlendur Paturss ...
, the most important cultural institution in the Faroes.
* The historical museum in Hoyvík, with all its treasures.
* The museum of Natural History, with a small botanical garden with 150 Faroese plants.
* Niels Finsens gøta, Tórshavn's only pedestrianised street.
Institutions in Tórshavn
*
Løgtingið and
Landstýrið, is the Faroese parliament and government with all its national institutions.
*
Kringvarp Føroya
Kringvarp Føroya (KvF) (English: ''Broadcasting Service of the Faroe Islands'') is the national public broadcasting company of the Faroe Islands. It was founded on 1 January 2005 after a merger of the national radio and television networks, Útv ...
(Faroese national television and radio) which is publicly owned.
*
University of the Faroe Islands
The University of the Faroe Islands ( fo, Fróðskaparsetur Føroya) is a state-run university located in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. It consists of five faculties: Faculty of Faroese Language and Literature, Faculty of Social Sc ...
, situated next to the national archives, a navigational college, a teachers college, etc.
*
Postverk Føroya
Posta is the postal service of the Faroe Islands and was founded on 1 April 1976 under the Home Rule of the Faroe Islands. On 16 December 2005, it became a public joint stock company under the name P/F Postverk Føroya (retroactive from 1 Januar ...
is the postal service of the Faroe Islands.
* A number of countries have a Consulate-General in Tórshavn, including all Nordic countries and several EU countries.
*
Føroya Studentaskúli og HF-Skeið is the largest and oldest high school in the country. It is located just outside Tórshavn.
Notable natives and inhabitants
![William Heinesen og Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/William_Heinesen_og_J%C3%B8rgen-Frantz_Jacobsen.jpg)
*
Niels Ryberg Finsen
Niels Ryberg Finsen (15 December 1860 – 24 September 1904) was a Faroese- Icelandic physician and scientist. In 1903, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology "in recognition of his contribution to the treatment of diseases, e ...
(1860–1904), winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology 1903.
*
Daniel Jacob Danielsen (1871–1916), a missionary and humanitarian who helped
Roger Casement
Roger David Casement ( ga, Ruairí Dáithí Mac Easmainn; 1 September 1864 – 3 August 1916), known as Sir Roger Casement, CMG, between 1911 and 1916, was a diplomat and Irish nationalist executed by the United Kingdom for treason during Worl ...
to expose the horrors of the
Belgian Empire
Belgium controlled several territories and concessions during the colonial era, principally the Belgian Congo (modern DRC) from 1908 to 1960 and Ruanda-Urundi (modern Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962. It also had small concessions in Guate ...
.
*
Petur Alberg
Petur Alberg (15 December 1885 – 1940) was a Faroese violin player and songwriter from Tórshavn. He composed the anthem of the Faroes
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlan ...
(1885–1940), composer, most famous for composing the
national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
.
*
Janus Djurhuus
Jens Hendrik Oliver Djurhuus, called Janus Djurhuus, (26 February 1881, Tórshavn – 1 September 1948, Tórshavn) was the first modern Faroese poet. He and his younger brother Hans Andreas Djurhuus, also a poet, are called the ''Áarstova'' ...
(1881–1948), writer
*
Andrea Árting (1891–1988), trade union leader
*
William Heinesen
Andreas William Heinesen (15 January 1900 – 12 March 1991) was a poet, novel writer, short story writer, children's book writer, composer and painter from the Faroe Islands.
His writing
The Faroese capital Tórshavn is always the centre of H ...
(1900–1991), writer, poet, composer and painter.
*
Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen
Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen (November 29, 1900 – March 24, 1938) was a Faroese writer. He has a distinct place in Scandinavian literature, as he is the only Faroese writer to achieve international best-seller status. This status derives ...
(1900–1938), writer.
*
Høgni Reistrup
Høgni Reistrup (artistic name ''Högni Reistrup'', born 1984) is a Faroese singer, musician, writer and scientist from Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. He is the co-writer of the book ''Exit Føroyar'' (which means ''Exit Faroe Islands''); he wrote it ...
(1984), musician, singer and songwriter.
*
Ingálvur av Reyni
Ingálvur av Reyni (18 December 1920 – 26 November 2005) was the most celebrated painter of the Faroe Islands during the last years.
Ingálvur av Reyni was born in Tórshavn. He rebelled through his expressionism against the epic content of h ...
(1920–2005), painter.
*
Janus Kamban
Janus Kamban (10 September 1913 in Tórshavn – 2 May 2009) was a Faroese sculptor and last living representative from the "first generation" of professional artists in the Faroe Islands.
Kamban is the first and most important sculptor in the F ...
(1913–2009), sculptor.
*
Zacharias Heinesen (1936), painter.
*
Lisbeth L. Petersen (1939), politician.
*
Guðrið Helmsdal Guðrið Helmsdal Nielsen (born 26 February 1941 in Tórshavn) is a Faroese poet. Born as Guðrið Helmsdal Poulsen, she added her husband's surname when she married. She writes as Guðrið Helmsdal.
Biography
Born on 26 February 1941 in Tórshav ...
(1941), writer.
*
Katrin Ottarsdóttir
Katrin Ottarsdóttir (born 1957) is a Faroese movie director and author.
Biography
Katrin Ottarsdóttir was born in Tórshavn. While growing up in the Faroes, she did not have television available to her, but enjoyed cinema. She went to Denmark ...
(1957), filmmaker.
*
Carl Jóhan Jensen (1957), writer.
*
Týr
(; Old Norse: , ) is a god in Germanic mythology, a valorous and powerful member of the and patron of warriors and mythological heroes. In Norse mythology, which provides most of the surviving narratives about gods among the Germanic people ...
, folk metal band.
*
Óli Jógvansson Óli Jógvansson (in English often spelled Oli Jogvansson), born 1969) is a Faroese songwriter/composer. He is the co-owner of Baroli Music, which he and Bardur Haberg founded in 2006.
Jógvansson was born in Tórshavn. He and his partner have be ...
(1969), songwriter and composer.
*
Bárður Oskarsson
Bárður Oskarsson (born 18 July 1972 in Tórshavn) is a Faroese children's writer, illustrator and artist, who has won several literary awards. His books have been translated into Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, French, German and Czech.
Biograph ...
(1972), writer and illustrator.
*
Guðrið Hansdóttir (1980), singer, songwriter.
*
Teitur Lassen
Teitur Lassen (, 4 January 1977) is a Faroese musician, composer, singer-songwriter and producer. He is a winner of multiple Danish Music Awards and has toured globally since his debut release, ''Poetry & Aeroplanes'', in 2003.
Teitur was bor ...
(1977), singer, songwriter.
*
Bárður Háberg Bárður Háberg (born 1979; also spelled Bardur Haberg) is a Faroese songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is one of two owners of the songwriting/production company Baroli Music. Together they write and produce songs for singers from ...
(1979), songwriter and composer.
*
Christian Mouritsen (1988), footballer.
*
Gunnar Nielsen (1986), footballer.
*
Rógvi Baldvinsson (1989), footballer.
*
Súni Olsen
Súni Olsen (born 7 March 1981) is a Faroese former professional football midfielder.
Club career
He started his career at Faroese club GÍ Gøta, after a successful season in 2000, in which he scored 13 league goals, moved to Dutch side FC Z ...
(1981), footballer.
*
Greta Svabo Bech
Greta Svabo Bech (born in Tórshavn) is a Faroese singer-songwriter. She first became known for her work with Canadian producer Deadmau5, when "Raise Your Weapon" was nominated for Best Dance Record at the 2011 Grammy Awards54th Annual Grammy Aw ...
(1987), singer.
*
Sarah Mahfoud (1989), boxer.
*
Helgi Dam Ziska (1990), chess player.
*
Magnus Jákupsson (1994), swimmer.
Gallery
File:Vestaravag torshavn, faroe islands, feb 2005.jpg, Eystaravág
File:Faroe Islands, Streymoy, Tórshavn (6).jpg, City bus on the Norðari Ringvegur
File:Faroe Islands, Streymoy, Tórshavn (1).jpg, View over central Tórshavn
File:Tórshavn.2.old habour.jpg, Vestaravág
File:Niels Finsens gøta 2003.JPG, Niels Finsens Gøta
File:British gun, skansin (Faroe Islands).jpg, The British cannon at Skansin
Skansin is a historic fortress in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands.
Skansin is located on a hill beside the port of Tórshavn. The fort was built in 1580 by Magnus Heinason to protect against pirate raids of the town, after he himself ...
File:Havnar-kirkja-foto.JPG, Tórshavn cathedral
File:Faroe Islands, Streymoy, Tórshavn (4), Bryggjubakki street at night.jpg, Bryggjubakki street at night
File:Tó.StadtparkWeg.jpg, The municipal park
File:Faroe Islands, Streymoy, Tórshavn (7), Tinganes.jpg, Alleys of Tinganes
File:Tórshavn Panorama.jpg, Tórshavn from Oyggjarvegur
Twin cities
Tórshavn is
twinned with:
*
Asker
Asker ( no, Asker), properly called Askerbygda in Norwegian, is a district and former Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Akershus, Norway. From 2020 it is part of the larger administrative municipality Asker, Viken (also known as Greate ...
, Norway
*
Garðabær
Garðabær () is a municipality in the Capital Region of Iceland.
History
Garðabær is a growing town in the Capital Region. It is the sixth largest town in Iceland with a population of 13,872 (Sept 1, 2013).
The site of Garðabær has been in ...
, Iceland
*
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 ...
, Iceland
*
Jakobstad
Jakobstad (; fi, Pietarsaari) is a town and municipality in Ostrobothnia, Finland. The town has a population of () and covers a land area of . The population density is . Neighboring municipalities are Larsmo, Pedersöre, and Nykarleby. The ...
, Finland
*
Mariehamn,
Åland
Åland ( fi, Ahvenanmaa: ; ; ) is an autonomous and demilitarised region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations. It is the smallest region of Finland by area and population, with a size of 1,580 km2, and a populat ...
*
Eslöv
Eslöv (; older da, Eslev) is a town and the seat of Eslöv Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 19,598 inhabitants as of 2018.
Eslöv is part of the Öresund Region.
History
According to a map from 1717, Eslöv village was originally l ...
, Sweden
*
Birkerød, Denmark
*
Riolunato, Italy
See also
*
List of towns in the Faroe Islands
This is a list of villages (and towns) of the Faroe Islands. :fo:Býir í Føroyum :de:Liste der Städte und Orte auf den Färöern
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Towns In The Faroe Islands
Towns
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Isla ...
References
Sources
* Havsteen-Mikkelsen, Sven (1995) ''Føroyinga søga'' (Bjarni Niclasen, týddi; Jørgen Haugan, skrivaði eftirmæli. Tórshavn: Føroya skúlabókagrunnur)
External links
Tórshavn Municipality website*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torshavn
Populated places in the Faroe Islands
Weather extremes of Earth
Populated places established in the 10th century
Populated coastal places in the Faroe Islands
Ports and harbours of the Faroe Islands