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Tjornin lake photo by By David Stanley

Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Tjornin Lake, Iceland

Tjornin is a small famous lake in central Reykjavik. Most tourists pass along its shore as it is located in the city centre next to Reykjavik City Hall and several museums. The lake’s name Tjornin means ‘the lake’ or ‘the pond’.

The hunting of the birds in the lake was banned by the city council and since then bird population has increased. The relationship between humans and birds has become perfect and humans have taken responsibility to protect the birds. Feeding birds has become a popular pastime of families amongst the locals.

The lake is suitable for family and kids and for leisure time. You only require one hour to tour the entire lake. It is interesting to note that the lake is open 24 hours, however, the best time to visit the Lake is from 6.00 am – 6.00 pm. This lake is a must-visit anytime any day.

1. Home to More than Forty Different Species of Birds

The lake is home to different species of birds. It is said that the lake has over Forty species of water birds. Some of these birds include; the Arctic tern, the Greylag Goose, the Gadwall, the Eider, Ducks, Swans and seagulls.

Back days about 100 years ago the birds were as well living here and people were come here to hunt, but nowadays families come here to feed the birds. However, lately, the Preying seagulls have made the City Council issue warnings to residents asking them to stop feeding the ducks in Tjornin to avoid putting ducklings at risk.

2. The Naming of the Lake

Tjornin lake photo by By David Stanley

The name of the lake has a meaning it was not just given a random name. The lake is known as Tjornin Lake, the name is derived from the Old Norse ‘tjorn’, an old ancestor of the Northern English. The name Tjornin means a lake from the mountain.

This lake which is said to be a ‘pond’ is as well known as Reykjavikurtjorn, however, this name is less known and heard across the city as well as the google search gives less information about the lake using this name.

3. The lake is Poetically Referred to as the ‘Bigger Bread Soup’

Feeding the birds within the lake of Tjornin has been popular with the people of Reykjavik and has become a pastime for families. When families are not busy, they visit the lake to come and feed the birds.

This feeding activity has become so popular with Icelanders that the pond is now often referred to as ‘ The bigger bread soup’ in the world. However, even though the act of feeding the birds is innocent and out of a will, biologists such as Pora Hrafnsdottir recommend that visitors avoid feeding birds bread and opt for grain and seeds. The bread is bad for birds’ diet and creates toxicity in the water.

4. Development of the City Has Centered Around the Lake

Tjornin lake photo by By David Stanley

Tjornin Lake is located in downtown Reykjavik. Within this lake is where the urban development of the city began. The earliest urban development of Reykjavik city took place between the lake and the northern Coast of the Peninsula.

As the year passed, the lake became an integral part of the urban environment. Today the development of the city has centred here and the lake is surrounded by important institutions. Some of these important and well know institutions include:

The postmodern City Hall, which is located in the northwest corner on the edge of the lake, the Supreme Court, National Museum, the Parliament building which houses the parliament of Iceland, Reykjavik Art Museum, US Embassy, not forgetting the Reykjavik City Library.

5. Recreational Spot

This pond is a recreation spot for the locals and tourists visiting. During the winter months, Lake Tjornin is mainly frozen and it becomes a good spot for ice skating for the skaters, walking on the ice for non-skaters not forgetting it becomes an excellent area for playing football.

It is as well a spot for birdwatchers, they come to a pastime as they watch and see the over forty different species of birds found in the lake such as Geese, Scaup and Mallard Ducks among others.

6. The Formation of the Tjornin Lake

View of Tjornin Lake photo By Szilas

The lake was formed back in 800 AD. It is a small lake situated in the centre of Reykjavik city. Lake Tjornin was first formed when the water body was separated from the sea by a gravel barrier.

The formation of this lake is described as a Lagoon, (a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform) which was part of a ref that existed at the present location of Harbour Street.

7. Around Lake Tjornin was the First Inhabitant During the Age of Settlement

It is said that the area around Lake Tjornin was among the first place to be settled by people during the age of settlement. This Age of Settlement is estimated to be between 870 AD to 930 AD.

Ingolfur Arnarson is considered the first permanent Norse settler of Iceland, together with his wife Hallveig Frooadottir and Hjorleifr Hroomarsson the foster brother. They settled in the city of Reykjavik around lake Tjornin in 874 AD.

 Ingolfur Arnarson was a Norse settler, people who settled in a place using the traditional Norse method of choosing a spot to settle by throwing two wooden high seat pillars into the ocean and then following them to where they are washed up on the shoreline. He was from the valley of Rivedal in Sunnfjord in western Norway.

8. Composed of Five Separate Ponds.

View of Tjornin Lake photo By Szilas

Tjornin is composed of five separate ponds. The main body of water covers 8.7 hectares and is cut in two by Skothusvegur Street in 1920.  The northern part is considered a distinct pond from Sudurtjornin referred to as Tjornin, the Southern Pond is surrounded by Hjamskalagardurinn a public park.

Porfinnstjorn is the smaller pond and is located in Hljomskalagardur park. It is a man-made pond, as the park used to be part of the Vatnsmyri wetlands to the south of Tjornin.

9. Ducks and Geese Hunting was Burned in 1919

In the back centuries, locals used to hunt birds by the lake. Geese and ducks were most hunted at the pond and in the nearby wetlands. All hunting was burned in 1919 and since then the populations of birds have increased.

The people since then have as well learned to empress the bird and spend time protecting them. Feeding birds in the city has become a family pastime. This is a must-visit location and gets to mingle with the birds.

10. Tjornin was Used to Harvest Ice

View of Tjornin Lake photo By Szilas

Before refrigeration was widespread Lake Tjornin was used to harvest ice. During the winter months, the lake turns to ice.  In the early 20^th century, warehouses were built by the pond to house the ice.

 The ice was mostly used by the fishermen to keep their catch fresh. One of the buildings built in 1916, still stands at the eastern shore of the pond. It was designed by architect Gudjon Samuelsson who later designed the Icelandic National Ark Museum.