Centre in Reykjavík in Reykjavíkurborg, Höfuðborgarsvæðið, Iceland — North Atlantic and Artic Oceans (a Nordic Island)

Hressingarskálinn

Reykjavik Bókmenntaborg UNESCO City of Literature

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, June 8, 2017

1. Hressingarskálinn Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Hér í Austurstræti 20, í einni elstu byggingu borgarinnar, hefur kaffihúsið og veitingastaðurinn Hressingarskálinn verið rekinn með hléum frá árinu 1932. Húsið sjálft á sér langa sögu, sem nær aftur til ársins 1805 þegar það var flutt tilhöggvið frá Svíþjóð. Hressingarskálinn hefur í gegnum tíðina verið griðastaður skálda, listamanna og gáfumenna. Mörg merkustu skáld Reykjavíkurborgar hafa vermt sæti Skálans, en þekktasti fastagesturinn er þó vafalaust skáldið Steinn Steinarr (1908-1958), sem átti ávallt sinn stað vísan í eldri hluta hans.

„Kaffihúsin eru minn háskóli." — Steinn Steinarr, við Ragnar í Smára þegar Steinn hafði þótt heldur þaulsætinn á kaffihúsum Reykjavíkur.

Here in Austurstræti 20, one of the oldest buildings in Reykjavik, the café and restaurant Hressingarskálinn (The Refreshment Lodge) opened in 1932. The building itself traces its history to the beginning of the 19th century. Hressingarskálinn, or in its contracted form Hressó, has through the decades been a gathering place of writers and intellectuals. Many of Reykjavik's best known authors sought shelter, nourishment and food for thought within its walls. Among Hressó's best known regulars was the modernist poet Steinn Steinarr (1908-1958).

"I get my higher learning in cafés," answered Steinn Steinarr, when it was implied that he spent too much time in the city's cafés.

Erected by Síminn.

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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce.

Location. 64° 8.844′ N, 21° 56.252′ W. Marker is in Reykjavík, Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæðið), in Reykjavíkurborg. It is in Centre. It is on Austurstræti just east of Pósthússtræti, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Austurstræti 20, Reykjavík, Capital Region 101, Iceland. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

on the Atlantic Arc,

in Europe,

in Atlantic Europe,

in the Nordic Countries,

in the Schengen Area,

in the Western Hemisphere,

and in the Western World.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Málfríður Einarsdóttir (within shouting distance of this marker); Austurstræti 14 (within shouting distance of this marker); Bernhöftstorfan / Bernhöft's Sward (within shouting distance of this marker); Austurstræti 12A (within shouting distance of this marker); Austurstræti 8 (about

Hressingarskálinn Marker - Wide View image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, June 8, 2017

2. Hressingarskálinn Marker - Wide View

The marker is visible here mounted to the right of the door (beneath the yellow sign on the roof), with the cafe itself to the left of that.

90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Austurstræti 12 (about 90 meters away); Bernhöftshús (about 90 meters away); Forsætisráðuneytið / Prime Minister's Office (about 90 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Reykjavík.

Also see . . .
1. Hressingarskálinn (WOW Airlines). We won’t delve too deeply into the long story here; but the house was imported from Sweden and has stood at its current location since 1805 – putting it among the most venerable buildings in the whole city. The ‘Svenska’ house, as it was long nicknamed, housed a succession of important people like sheriffs and the like, before eventually being bought by the government, given to a youth organisation and then swapped with a baker. The baker then moved his place of refreshment, Hressingarskálinn (quite separate from his actual bakery) into the house – even bringing in “a foreign man” to install a coffee machine the likes of which were all the rage in “international coffee houses” and had never been seen in Iceland before. (Submitted on July 13, 2017.)

2. Hressingarskálinn (Wikipedia, in Icelandic).

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(Submitted on July 13, 2017.)

Credits. This page was last revised on June 15, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 13, 2017, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 345 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 13, 2017, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.