Lækjargata (, "stream street") is a street in downtown

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 pop ...

and takes its name from the stream that once ran along the street, from the

Tjörnin Tjörnin () is a small, prominent lake in central Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Most visitors to the city pass along its shore, as it is situated in the city centre next to the Reykjavik City Hall and several museums. ''Tjörnin'' means "t ...

to the sea.

History

Settlement period

In Spring 2015, the remains of a 22 metre long tenth- or eleventh-century turf building with a 5.2 metre long hearth at the north end were found under the present lot Lækjargata 10-12. At this time, the area of Lækjargata was part of the marshy

Austurvöllur Austurvöllur () is a public square in Reykjavík, Iceland. The square is a popular gathering place for the citizens of Reykjavík, and especially during good weather due to the prevalence of cafés on Vallarstræti and Pósthússtræti. It has ...

, a field belonging to the farmers of Vík.

Development of the street

Lækjargata began to take its present form in the late eighteenth century, when two houses were built there. They were built when

Reykjavík Cathedral Reykjavík Cathedral ( Icelandic: ''Dómkirkjan í Reykjavík'') is a cathedral church in Reykjavík, Iceland, the seat of the Bishop of Iceland and mother church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, as well as the parish church of the o ...

was built on the neighbouring

in 1787. Einar Valdason built a turf farmhouse to the south-east of the cathedral, first called Kirkjuból ('church dwelling') and later Lækjarkot ('stream cottage'). Lækjargata was in those days called Heilagsandastræti ('Holy Spirit street'), because one of the houses was inhabited by Bishop

Helgi Thordersen Helgi Guðmundsson Thordersen (8 April 1794 - 4 December 1867) was an Icelandic politician and prelate who served as Bishop of Iceland from 1846 till 1866. Biography Thordersen graduated from the Latin school at Bessastaðir in 1813. He moved t ...

and the other by the cathedral priest, Ólafur Pálsson. As the population of Reykjavík grew, the street was extended on the south side of the stream all the way to Tjörnin. Lækjarkot was replaced in 1887 with a wooden house, which became Lækjargata 10a. In 1828, a bridge was built over the stream, facilitating the development of

Lækjartorg Lækjartorg (, "brook square") is a square in downtown Reykjavík, Iceland. It is located in Kvosin south of Reykjavík Harbor, where Bankastræti Bankastræti () is a street in Reykjavík's city centre which runs from the west ends of Laugave ...

and the intersecting

Bankastræti Bankastræti () is a street in Reykjavík's city centre which runs from the west ends of Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur to the intersection at Lækjartorg. It has, since the nineteenth century, been one of the main streets of Reykjavík. ...

.Helga Maureen Gylfadóttir and Guðný Gerður Gunnarsdóttir, ''Húsakönnun: Austurstræti – Pósthússtræti – Hafnarstræti – Lækjargata'', Skýrsla, 132 (Reykjavík: Minjasafn Reykjavíkur, 2006), p. 11; http://rafhladan.is/handle/10802/4886. In 1846, Lækjargata 7 became the new home to

Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík (MR; official name in English: Reykjavik Junior College) is a junior college in Iceland. It is located in Reykjavík. The school traces its origin to 1056, when a school was established in Skálholt, and it remains ...

Sources

''Ahrentzhús'', ''Lesbók Morgunblaðsins'' 1962

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laekjargata Shopping districts and streets in Iceland Streets in Reykjavík Tourist attractions in Iceland