Neskaupstaður is one of the biggest communities in East Iceland. It was not until 1949 that Neskaupstaður got a road that linked it to the outside world. Before that time, people could only reach the town by sea because of the high mountains and really bad roads.
Neskaupstaður has always been a fishing village, with one of Iceland‘s biggest fishing industries. Boats and ships are going in the harbour all year round. Naturally, fishing is the town’s main employment.
Neskaupstaður’s tunnel to the outside world
Until 1949, people could only access the town by boat. Today, a 626-metre long single-lane tunnel connects the town through the Oddsskarð mountains. The tunnel is 632 metres above the sea level. The tunnel was built in the late 1970s.
Many people moved away in the 1990s, and the town suffered huge depopulation. Interestingly, this trend reversed as a result of building an aluminum smelter and a hydroelectric power-plant in East Iceland.
Eistnaflug – the biggest heavy metal festival in Iceland
Neskaupstaður is also the home to Eistnaflug, an annual metal festival held in July. The festival has been growing in popularity each year, with more and more prominent international bands being added to the line-up such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Bloodbath and Neurosis. If you’re travelling in East Iceland in July and like metal music, make sure you don’t miss out on this awesome festival!
GPS: 65.152425 N, -13.684965 W
