Kópavogur

Kópavogur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈkʰouːpaˌvɔːɣʏr̥]) is a town in Iceland that is the country's second largest municipality by population.

Kópavogur
Municipality
Skyline of Kópavogur
Skyline of Kópavogur
Coat of arms of Kópavogur
Coat of arms
Location of Kópavogur
Location of Kópavogur
Kópavogur is located in Iceland
Kópavogur
Kópavogur
Coordinates: 64°06′39″N 21°54′34″W
CountryIceland
RegionCapital Region
ConstituencySouthwest Constituency
Established1948
Market right11 May 1955
Government
 • MayorÁsdís Kristjánsdóttir (IP)
Area
 • Total80 km2 (30 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total37,959
 • Density462.19/km2 (1,197.1/sq mi)
Postal code(s)
200–203
Municipal number1000
Websitekopavogur.is (in Icelandic)

It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Capital Region. The name literally means seal pup inlet. The town seal contains the profile of the church Kópavogskirkja with a seal pup underneath.

Kópavogur is largely made up of residential areas, but has commercial areas and much industrial activity as well. The tallest building in Iceland, the Smáratorg Tower, is located in central Kópavogur.[2]

History

Kópavogur is historically significant as the site of the 1662 Kópavogur meeting.[3] This event marked the total incorporation of Iceland into Denmark–Norway when, on behalf of the Icelandic people, Bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson and Árni Oddsson, a lawyer, signed a document confirming that the introduction of absolute monarchy by Frederick III of Denmark–Norway also applied to Iceland.

Kópavogur is also one of Iceland's most prominent sites for Icelandic urban legends about the huldufólk;[4] it also features in this capacity in the 2010 film Sumarlandið, where the stone Grásteinn is portrayed as an elf-house in the Kópavogur municipality.

An independent township, Kópavogur is adjacent to Reykjavík.

Sports

Kópavogur's main sports clubs are Gerpla,[5] Breiðablik and HK. In 2010, Breiðablik clinched their first Icelandic league title in football into; furthermore, in 2012, HK won their first Icelandic league title in team handball.

The town is also home to the hardcore strongman and powerlifting training facility 'Thor's Power Gym' owned by the strongest man of all-time Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, which was also the venue for the iconic 501 kg (1,105 lb) World Record Deadlift on 2 May 2020.[6][7]

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Iceland

Kópavogur is twinned with:[8]

  • Public buses in Kópavogur
    Public buses in Kópavogur
  • Kópavogsvöllur stadium
    Kópavogsvöllur stadium
  • Artificial geyser, Kópavogur in the background.
    Artificial geyser, Kópavogur in the background.
  • Pond in the park
    Pond in the park

See also

References
  1. "Population by municipalities, sex and age 1 January 1998-2020 - Current municipalities". PX-Web. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  2. DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide: Iceland: Iceland. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 1 June 2010. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-4053-5665-7.
  3. Lacy, Terry G. (2000). Ring of Seasons: Iceland--Its Culture and History. University of Michigan Press. p. 210. ISBN 0-472-08661-8.
  4. Valdimar Tr. Hafstein, 'The Elves' Point of View: Cultural Identity in Contemporary Icelandic Elf-Tradition', Fabula: Zeitschrift für Erzählsforschung/Journal of Folklore Studies/Revue d'Etudes sur le Conte Populaire, 41 (2000), 87-104 (pp. 91-93).
  5. "Vorönn - upplýsingar" (in Icelandic). Gerpla.is. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  6. Lane, Edward (2019-04-11). "Welcome to Thor's Power Gym, the Lifting Valhalla of the World's Strongest Man Hafþór Björnsson". Men's Health. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  7. "Hafthor Bjornsson: Game of Thrones actor breaks 501kg deadlift record". BBC News. 2020-05-02. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  8. "Vinabæir". kopavogur.is (in Icelandic). Kópavogur. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
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