Tórshavn (Faroese:[ˈtʰɔu̯ʂhau̯n]ⓘ;lit.'Thor's harbour';Danish:Thorshavn), usually locally referred to as simplyHavn, is the capital and largest city of theFaroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast ofStreymoy. To the northwest of the city lies the 347-meter-high (1,138 ft) mountainHúsareyn, and to the southwest, the 350-meter-high (1,150 ft) Kirkjubøreyn. They are separated by the Sandá River. The city itself has a population of 14,099 (2024), and the greater urban area has a population of 23,194, including the suburbs ofHoyvík andArgir.
TheNorse (Scandinavians) established their parliament on theTinganes peninsula in AD 850.[2] 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.
It is not known whether the site of Tórshavn was of interest to the Irish monks who wereprobably the first settlers in the Faroes. The Viking settlers in the 9th century established their own parliaments, calledtings, in different parts of the islands, it being the tradition in each case to hold theting at a neutral and thus uninhabited place, so no one location gave anyone an advantage. According to romantics, the mainting for the islands was convoked in Tórshavn in 825, onTinganes,[3] thepeninsula that divides the harbour into two parts:Eystaravág andVestaravág.
The settlers 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. TheFæreyinga Saga says: "the place of theting of theFaroese was on Streymoy, and there is the harbour that is called Tórshavn". The Viking age ended in 1035. Theting was followed by a market which gradually grew into a permanent trading area.
All through theMiddle Ages, 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 inBergen.
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 the other villages did. 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 theting of the islands, influenced the town's development.
Skansin fort has been rebuilt several times since it was first built in 1580. The current building dates back to 1790
Sources do not mention a built-up area in Tórshavn until after the Protestant reformation in 1539. Inc. 1580 a small fort,Skansin, was built by the Faroese naval hero and traderMagnus Heinason 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 landlessproletariat 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, kingFrederick III of Denmark granted the Faroe Islands to his favourite statesmanKristoffer Gabel; the rule of the von Gabel Family (lasting between 1655 and 1709), is known asGablatíðin. 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 thebailiff 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. TheDanish royal trade monopoly was supplied with goods fromCopenhagen three times a year. However, Tórshavn was hit by a plague of smallpox in 1709, killing nearly the entire population. The town had dissipated reached a population of 300 before the outbreak; 250 of the inhabitants died from the disease. 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.
On 30 March 1808, during the Anglo-DanishGunboat War, theCruizer-class brig-sloopHMS Clio entered Tórshavn and briefly captured the fort at Skansin. The fort surrendered without firing a shot as the landing party approached. TheClio's menspiked 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.[citation needed]
Tórshavn in 1864, theLøgting (parliament) is at top left
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.[4]
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 DanishFolketing granted DKK 810,000 to construction of a harbour in Tórshavn. Local waves are 3 m (9.8 ft)[clarification needed], the waters are ice free and have a tidal variation of 0.3 m (1 ft 0 in), 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.[5] In 1927, Tórshavn had a modern harbour built. This made it possible for larger ships to berth.[6]
In 1974, the neighbouring villagesHoyvík andHvítanes 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.
Tórshavn Harbour Ferry Terminal, view towardsTinganes and 'Vesturbýur'The Western Town
Tórshavn features asubpolar oceanic climate (Cfc), with strong moderation from theAtlantic Ocean'sNorwegian Current. In winter, Tórshavn tends to be under direct influence of theIcelandic Low, 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 6 °C (43 °F). However, summer temperatures are much lower than those found in Scandinavia on similar latitudes, and barely exceed 13 °C (55 °F) daily highs in the warmest month. The moderation also causes the extremes amplitude to be very low: in the period from 1961 to 2021, there was a mere 33 °C (59 °F) difference 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 0 °C (32 °F).
Average monthly precipitation is highest in autumn and winter, peaking in January, due to the activity of theIcelandic Low. May, June and July, on the other hand, are markedly drier but still receive substantial rainfall.
Climate data for Tórshavn (1991–2020, extremes 1961–present)
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 theTinganes 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[12] and the Ministry of Social Affairs[13] are located near theHospital of the Faroes in Eirargarður, and the Ministry of Finance is located inArgir in a building called Albert Hall on the street Kvíggjartún.[14] The parliament, theLøgting, which was originally located on Tinganes, was relocated to the town square, Vaglið, in 1856.
Tórshavn, as the capital city, is the centre of sport in the islands; the largest sports centre is located in theGundadalur district of Tórshavn. Also, the largest football stadium,Tórsvøllur, is located here, seating 6,000 spectators. The stadium serves as home to theFaroe Islands national football team. Around the city there are also two other football pitches, indoor tennis courts, badminton courts and a swimming pool.
Every year in July theTour of Faroe Islands, which is aroad bicycle race, is held around the islands. The race, calledKring Føroyar (Tour de Faroe / Around the Faroes), starts inKlaksvík and ends in Tórshavn.[16]
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.
The harbour is served by theSmyril Line international ferry service toDenmark andIceland. The harbour is also used by domestic ferry services ofStrandfaraskip Landsins within the Faroe Islands, chiefly on the route toTvøroyri.
The town is served byBussleiðin – 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[17] by the coast.
Tórshavn Cathedral and Bryggjubakki street (left) and Undir Bryggjubakka street (right) at the centre of the cityListasavn Føroya on a national stamp, 1995.
Tinganes, the old part of town, is still made up of small wooden houses covered with turf roofs. The oldest one dates back 500 years.
^Gregoriussen, Jákup Pauli (2000).Tórshavn, vár miðstøð og borg II. Tekningar úr Havn (in Faroese). Velbastaður: Forlagið í Støplum. pp. 11–15.ISBN99918-914-4-7.
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