Reykjavik, the capital and largest city of Iceland, is located in the southwest of the country, on the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean, its area characterized by coves, peninsulas, islands and straits.
By legend, Reykjavik is believed to be the first permanent settlement founded by Viking called Ingolfur Arnarson around AD 870. Ingolfur Arnarson is said to decide the location of the new settlement in a traditional Viking way. When he saw the coastline, he threw his wooden pillars overboard and settled where the pillars came to shore.
The name of the city, Reykjavik, is supposed to have been inspired by the steam from hot springs (Reykjavik can be loosely translated as 'Smokey Bay').
Nowadays these hot geothermal springs provide almost the whole heating and water supply system of the city.
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