Centre in Garðabær in Reykjavíkurborg, Höfuðborgarsvæðið, Iceland — North Atlantic and Artic Oceans (a Nordic Island)
Grjótaþorp
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 8, 2017
1. Grjótaþorp Marker - Icelandic side
Inscription.
Grjótaþorp (Grjóti Village) derives its name from Grjóti, one of eight smallholdings on the estate of Reykjavík in the 18th century. The farmstead stood here on Grjótabrekka (Grjóti Slope) at the top of Grjótagata. In the latter half of the 18th century, when wooden buildings were being constructed on Aðalstræti, a cluster of turf houses grew up on the Grjóti property. The turf homes housed landless labourers and fishermen, and staff of the Innréttingar (the New Enterprises, woollens production on an industrial scale intended to propel Iceland into the modern age). The first merchant in Reykjavík, Johan Chr. Sünckenberg, built his commercial premises on Aðalstræti in 1780, after the trading post was moved from offshore Örfirisey to Reykjavík. The warehouses were on adjacent Vesturgata. Grjóti was aptly named (from grjót = rock), and its rocky fields stretched down the hill towards Grófin. In 1790 the rocks were cleared from the grassfield, and used in building Reykjavík Cathedral on nearby Austurvöllur. After that the inhabitants started to make gardens on the land. In 1802, 19 houses in Grjótaþorp were inhabited by 141 people. About 20 turf houses remained in Grjótaþorp in 1836, after which they were gradually replaced by wooden buildings. By 1900 no turf houses remained.
Grjótaþorp is delimited by AÐALSTRÆTI, VESTURGATA, TÚNGATA and GARÐASTRÆTI.
Aðalstræti (Main Street) is the oldest street in Reykjavík, previously known by Danish names Hovedgaden and then Klubgaden. It originated as the path from the farm of Reykjavík to the seashore. The textile workshops of the New Enterprises were located at the southern end of the street, and commercial premises at the north end. Vesturgata (West Street) was previously knownas Hlíðarhúsastígur (Hlíðarhús Path) and Læknisgata (Doctor's Street): it was the westward route out of town towards the estate of Hlíðarhús and Seltjarnarnes, where the Chief Medical Officer resided. Túngata, previously Landakotsstígur (Landakot Path), led westwards from Aðalstræti to Götuhús and Landakot, which were smallholdings on the Reykjavík estate. The name of Túngata (Grassfield Street) refers to grassfields through which the road led: Ullarstofutún, Götuhúsatún and Landakotstún. Garðastræti (Wall Street) was named after an old rock wall on the boundary of the Grjóti and Götuhús estates. Fischersund, formerly Götuhúsastígur (Götuhús Path) led from Aðalstræti westwards to Götuhús. It was renamed Fischersund (Fischer Alley) in honour of merchant Waldemar Fischer, who founded a charitable fund in 1888 to aid poor widows, fatherless children and needy young people in Reykjavík and Keflavík. This is the only street in Reykjavík named after a Danish merchant. Mjóstræti (Narrow Street) was once known as Brekkustígur (Brekka Path) after a turf house, Brekka, which stood on the site of the present Vinaminni, Mjóstræti 3.
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. This historical marker was erected by Borgarsögusafn Reykjavíkur. It is in Centre in Garðabær in Reykjavíkurborg Höfuðborgarsvæðið Iceland
Grjótaþorp (Grjóti Village) derives its name
from Grjóti, one of eight smallholdings on
the estate of Reykjavík in the 18th century.
The farmstead stood here on Grjótabrekka
(Grjóti Slope) at the top of Grjótagata. In
the latter half of the 18th century, when
wooden buildings were being constructed
on Aðalstræti, a cluster of turf houses grew
up on the Grjóti property. The turf homes
housed landless labourers and fishermen,
and staff of the Innréttingar (the New
Enterprises, woollens production on an
industrial scale intended to propel Iceland
into the modern age). The first merchant in Reykjavík, Johan Chr. Sünckenberg, built his commercial premises on Aðalstræti in
1780, after the trading post was moved from offshore Örfirisey to Reykjavík. The
warehouses were on adjacent Vesturgata. Grjóti was aptly named (from grjót = rock),
and its rocky fields stretched down the hill towards Grófin. In 1790 the rocks were
cleared from the grassfield, and used in building Reykjavík Cathedral on nearby
Austurvöllur. After that the inhabitants started to make gardens on the land. In 1802,
19 houses in Grjótaþorp were inhabited
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by 141 people. About 20 turf houses remained
in Grjótaþorp in 1836, after which they were gradually replaced by wooden buildings.
By 1900 no turf houses remained.
Grjótaþorp is delimited by AÐALSTRÆTI, VESTURGATA,
TÚNGATA and GARÐASTRÆTI.
Aðalstræti (Main Street) is the oldest street in Reykjavík, previously known by Danish
names Hovedgaden and then Klubgaden. It originated as the path from the farm of
Reykjavík to the seashore. The textile workshops of the New Enterprises were located
at the southern end of the street, and commercial premises at the north end. Vesturgata
(West Street) was previously knownas Hlíðarhúsastígur (Hlíðarhús Path) and Læknisgata
(Doctor's Street): it was the westward route out of town towards the estate of Hlíðarhús
and Seltjarnarnes, where the Chief Medical Officer resided. Túngata, previously
Landakotsstígur (Landakot Path), led westwards from Aðalstræti to Götuhús and
Landakot, which were smallholdings on the Reykjavík estate. The name of Túngata
(Grassfield Street) refers to grassfields through which the road led: Ullarstofutún,
Götuhúsatún and Landakotstún. Garðastræti (Wall Street) was named after an old
rock wall on the boundary of the Grjóti and Götuhús estates. Fischersund, formerly
Götuhúsastígur (Götuhús Path) led from Aðalstræti westwards to Götuhús.
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 8, 2017
2. Grjótaþorp Marker - Icelandic side, wide view
It was
renamed Fischersund (Fischer Alley) in honour of merchant Waldemar Fischer, who
founded a charitable fund in 1888 to aid poor widows, fatherless children and needy
young people in Reykjavík and Keflavík. This is the only street in Reykjavík named after
a Danish merchant. Mjóstræti (Narrow Street) was once known as Brekkustígur (Brekka
Path) after a turf house, Brekka, which stood on the site of the present Vinaminni,
Mjóstræti 3.
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Grjótaþorp dregur nafn sitt af bænum Grjóta sem var ein af átta hjáleigum Reykjavíkur á 18. öld. Bærinn stóð hér í Grjótabrekkunni, efst við Grjótagötu. Í landi Grjóta
myndaðist hvirfing torfbæja á síðari hluta 18. aldar samhliða uppbyggingu timburhúsa
við Aðalstræti. Í torfbæjunum bjuggu tómthúsbændur og starfsmenn Innréttinganna.
Eftir að verslunin var flutt úr Örfirisey til Reykjavíkur um 1780 reisti fyrsti kaupmaðurinn í Reykjavík, Johan Chr. Sünckenberg, verslunarhús sín á konungslóðinni við
Aðalstræti en pakkhúsin voru við Vesturgötu. Grýtt tún Grjóta lá hér eftir brekkunni
norður frá bænum í átt að Grófinni. Um 1790 var grjótið hreinsað úr túninu og notað
í veggi Dómkirkjunnar sem stendur við Austurvöll. Í kjölfarið hófst mikil garðrækt á
svæðinu. Árið 1802 var búið í 19 húsum og íbúarnir voru 141. Um 20 torfbæir voru í
Grjótaþorpi árið 1836 en eftir það fór
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, June 8, 2017
3. Grjótaþorp Marker - English side, wide view
þeim fækkandi. Um aldamótin 1900 var búið
að rífa alla torfbæina og byggja timburhús í stað þeirra.
Grjótaþorpið afmarkast af AÐALSTRÆTI, VESTURGÖTU,
TÚNGÖTU og GARÐASTRÆTI.
Aðalstræti er elsta gata borgarinnar og var áður nefnd Hovedgaden og um tíma Klubgaden. Hún lá frá Reykjavíkurbænum við suðurenda götunnar að uppsátri í Grófinni.
Við suðurhluta Aðalstrætis voru klæða- og tauverksmiðjur Innréttinganna en nyrst
voru verslunarhúsin. Vesturgata var áður nefnd Hlíðarhúsastígur og Læknisgata en eftir
henni lá leið vestur úr bænum að Hlíðarhúsum og fram á Seltjarnarnes. Túngata var
áður nefnd Landakotsstigur og lá í vestur frá Aðalstræti að Götuhúsum og Landakoti,
sem hvor tveggja voru fyrrum hjáleigur Reykjavíkur. Nafn götunnar vísar í gömlu tún-
in sem gatan lá um, Ullarstofu-, Götuhúsa- og Landakotstún. Gardastræti fékk nafn
sitt af gömlum grjótgörðum sem lágu á bæjarmörkum Grjóta og Götuhúsa. Fischersund hét áður Götuhúsastígur og lá frá Aðalstræti vestur að Götuhúsum. Nafni stígsins
var breytt í Fischersund til heiðurs Waldemar Fischer kaupmanni sem stofnaði styrkt-
arsjóð handa fatækum ekkjum, föðurlausum börnum og efnalitlum ungum mönnum í
Reykjavík og Keflavík árið 1888. Þetta er eina gatan í Reykjavík sem er kennd við
danskan kaupmann. Mjóstræti var á tímabili nefnt
Brekkustígur þar sem það lá fram-
hjá torfbænum Brekku sem stóð þar sem í dag er Vinaminni, Mjóstræti 3.
Grjótaþorpið var í mikilli niðurníðslu fram á seinni hluta 20. aldar vegna hugmynda um
að leggja hraðbraut þar í gegn. Af henni varð ekki og hafa nú öll húsin verið endurnýjuð auk þess sem nokkur gömul timburhús haf verið flutt inn í hverfið til að styrkja hið
gamla byggðamynstur. Grjótaþorpið hefur að geyma eina elstu byggð timburhúsa í
Reykjavík. Sérkenni byggðarinnar eru þröngar götur og stakstæð timburhús í litlum
grónum görðum.
Erected by Borgarsögusafn Reykjavíkur.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1780.
Location. 64° 8.869′ N, 21° 56.61′ W. Marker is in Garðabær, Capital Region (Höfuðborgarsvæðið), in Reykjavíkurborg. It is in Centre. Marker is on Grjótagata just west of Aðalstræti, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Grjótagata 10, Garðabær, Capital Region 101, Iceland. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Laufey Jakobsdóttir (a few steps from this marker); Túngata 6 (within shouting distance of this marker); Vaktarabærinn (within shouting distance of this marker); Grjógata 4
(within shouting distance of this marker); Aðalstræti 12 - Ísafold (within shouting distance of this marker); Aðalstræti 16 (within shouting distance of this marker); Adlon (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); The Settlement of Reykjavík (about 90 meters away).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 342 times since then and 175 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 5, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
