Tjörnin - Lago Tjorn
english
Tjörnin (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈtʰjœrtn̥ɪn], The Pond) is a prominent small lake in central Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Most visitors to the city pass along its shore, as it is situated in the city centre next to the Reykjavik City Hall and several museums. Tjörnin means "the lake" or "the pond". Tarn, meaning "mountain lake", is a northern English dialect word derived from the Norse word tjörn and its genitive/plural tjarnar. Bird feeding on the lake shore, a popular pastime, has led to the lake being called "the biggest bread soup in the world" (stærsta brauðsupa í heimi). Tjörnin was the setting for scenes in the 2010 Icelandic movie Gauragangur.
Geography
Tjörnin is described as a lagoon next to a barrier beach. The lake's formation is attributed to the lagoon which was part of a reef that existed at the present location of Hafnarstræti (a city street, "Harbour Street").This street, which passes through the business section of the city, lies on the southern side of the lake and leads to the gardens. The Vatnsmýri marsh feeds the lake. There is a landscape park that runs from north to south, with a variety of greenery. The outflow from the lake is Lækjarin, an open water channel that flows through the city centre. During the winter, the lake usually freezes and is used for ice skating. Both banks of the lake are paved and terminate at Tjarnargarður, a new science park. The southern shoreline of the lake has well-tended parks decorated with statues. The winding paths are frequented by joggers and cyclists. Notice boards along the shore give daily reports of the numbers of birds on the lake.
Avifauna
The lake is frequented by 40-50 species of water birds, including the Arctic Tern, Eider, Gadwall, Greylag Goose and other goose species, mallard, seagulls, and scaup. Whooper Swan are viewable within close proximity. The Arctic Tern's arrival heralds the start of summer. Birders from all over the North Atlantic come to pursue their hobby in the lake area. The lake is also a favorite place to take young children to watch and feed birds. The popularity of bird feeding has led to the lake being poetically referred to as "the biggest bread soup in the world" (stærsta brauðsupa í heimi).
Cityscape
The earliest urban development of Reykjavík took place between the lake and the northern coast of the peninsula. Over the years, the lake became an integral part of the urban environment. Development of the city has centered around the lake. The postmodern City Hall, Ráðhús, stands in the northwest corner on the edge of the lake: it looks as if it is rising out of the lake. Other notable buildings in the area are the Supreme Court, Reykjavík Art Museum, National Museum, Living Art Museum, Reykjavík City Library, National Theatre, Alþingi (the Parliament of Iceland), and the Domkirkja cathedral, apart from a shopping complex and restaurants. Several buildings belonging to the University of Iceland are also close by.
There is a bridge over the Tjornin Lake made of wood that was originally built in 1920.
Conservation
Vatnsmýrin Reserve, the protected area around Tjörnin, has deteriorated in recent years as evidenced by a drop in the variety of reported birds. Part of the issue is attributed to the lack of appropriate nesting grounds due to invasive flora species as well as the presence of animals in the reserve. Action plans have been initiated jointly by the Nordic House, the University of Iceland, and Reykjavík City Council, to improve the reserve's condition with appropriate wetland vegetation, construction of embankments and sedimentation ponds to improve the water flow, as well as some desilting of the lake.
Icelandic
Tjörnin (eða Reykjavíkurtjörn) er grunnt stöðuvatn í miðbæ Reykjavíkur. Vatnið í Tjörnina kemur úr Vatnsmýrinni sunnan við hana og rennur úr henni um Lækinn sem rennur undir Lækjargötu til sjávar í víkinni. Við Tjörnina standa margar merkilegar byggingar, þar á meðal Ráðhús Reykjavíkur, Iðnaðarmannahúsið, Tjarnarskóli, Listasafn Íslands og Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík. Við Tjörnina er einnig Hljómskálagarðurinn, eini lystigarðurinn í miðborg Reykjavíkur. Í og við Tjörnina er mikið fuglalíf. Vinsæl afþreying hjá foreldrum með ung börn er að fara niður að Tjörn og „gefa öndunum“ (þ.e. brauðmola).
Tjörnin er dæmi um sjávarlón þar sem sandur og möl hefur myndað malarrif sem lokar smám saman af lónið. Gamli miðbærinn í Reykjavík stendur á rifinu. Rifið var ekki fullmyndað fyrr en fyrir um það bil 1200 árum og þá hófst lífræn setmyndun í Tjörninni en undir þeim setlögum eru sand- og malarlög. Þegar lífræn efni tóku að safnast saman á botni Tjarnarinnar gætti lítilla seltuáhrifa og grunnvatn hefur streymt þangað frá Vatnsmýrinni og holtunum í kring. Tjarnarbakkarnir voru grónir gulstör (carex lyngbyei) og öðrum tegundum af hálfgrasaætt en svo komu tímabil þegar seltan verður meiri þá hörfuðu háplöntur. Um 1900 mun engum fugli hafa verið vært á Tjörninni, allir fuglar voru drepnir. Andaveiðar voru eitthvað stundaðar á Tjörninni allt fram á annan áratug síðustu aldar. Með lögreglusamþykkt frá 19. apríl 1919 var bannað að skjóta í borgarlandinu. Um sama leyti var sett siglingabann en áður höfðu margir átt báta og vegna umferðar þreifst ekkert kríuvarp í Tjarnarhólmanum fyrir 1919. Með skotveiðibanninu og siglingabanninu fjölgaði mikið stokköndum og kríum.
Tjörnin - Lago Tjorn
english
Tjörnin (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈtʰjœrtn̥ɪn], The Pond) is a prominent small lake in central Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Most visitors to the city pass along its shore, as it is situated in the city centre next to the Reykjavik City Hall and several museums. Tjörnin means "the lake" or "the pond". Tarn, meaning "mountain lake", is a northern English dialect word derived from the Norse word tjörn and its genitive/plural tjarnar. Bird feeding on the lake shore, a popular pastime, has led to the lake being called "the biggest bread soup in the world" (stærsta brauðsupa í heimi). Tjörnin was the setting for scenes in the 2010 Icelandic movie Gauragangur.
Geography
Tjörnin is described as a lagoon next to a barrier beach. The lake's formation is attributed to the lagoon which was part of a reef that existed at the present location of Hafnarstræti (a city street, "Harbour Street").This street, which passes through the business section of the city, lies on the southern side of the lake and leads to the gardens. The Vatnsmýri marsh feeds the lake. There is a landscape park that runs from north to south, with a variety of greenery. The outflow from the lake is Lækjarin, an open water channel that flows through the city centre. During the winter, the lake usually freezes and is used for ice skating. Both banks of the lake are paved and terminate at Tjarnargarður, a new science park. The southern shoreline of the lake has well-tended parks decorated with statues. The winding paths are frequented by joggers and cyclists. Notice boards along the shore give daily reports of the numbers of birds on the lake.
Avifauna
The lake is frequented by 40-50 species of water birds, including the Arctic Tern, Eider, Gadwall, Greylag Goose and other goose species, mallard, seagulls, and scaup. Whooper Swan are viewable within close proximity. The Arctic Tern's arrival heralds the start of summer. Birders from all over the North Atlantic come to pursue their hobby in the lake area. The lake is also a favorite place to take young children to watch and feed birds. The popularity of bird feeding has led to the lake being poetically referred to as "the biggest bread soup in the world" (stærsta brauðsupa í heimi).
Cityscape
The earliest urban development of Reykjavík took place between the lake and the northern coast of the peninsula. Over the years, the lake became an integral part of the urban environment. Development of the city has centered around the lake. The postmodern City Hall, Ráðhús, stands in the northwest corner on the edge of the lake: it looks as if it is rising out of the lake. Other notable buildings in the area are the Supreme Court, Reykjavík Art Museum, National Museum, Living Art Museum, Reykjavík City Library, National Theatre, Alþingi (the Parliament of Iceland), and the Domkirkja cathedral, apart from a shopping complex and restaurants. Several buildings belonging to the University of Iceland are also close by.
There is a bridge over the Tjornin Lake made of wood that was originally built in 1920.
Conservation
Vatnsmýrin Reserve, the protected area around Tjörnin, has deteriorated in recent years as evidenced by a drop in the variety of reported birds. Part of the issue is attributed to the lack of appropriate nesting grounds due to invasive flora species as well as the presence of animals in the reserve. Action plans have been initiated jointly by the Nordic House, the University of Iceland, and Reykjavík City Council, to improve the reserve's condition with appropriate wetland vegetation, construction of embankments and sedimentation ponds to improve the water flow, as well as some desilting of the lake.
Icelandic
Tjörnin (eða Reykjavíkurtjörn) er grunnt stöðuvatn í miðbæ Reykjavíkur. Vatnið í Tjörnina kemur úr Vatnsmýrinni sunnan við hana og rennur úr henni um Lækinn sem rennur undir Lækjargötu til sjávar í víkinni. Við Tjörnina standa margar merkilegar byggingar, þar á meðal Ráðhús Reykjavíkur, Iðnaðarmannahúsið, Tjarnarskóli, Listasafn Íslands og Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík. Við Tjörnina er einnig Hljómskálagarðurinn, eini lystigarðurinn í miðborg Reykjavíkur. Í og við Tjörnina er mikið fuglalíf. Vinsæl afþreying hjá foreldrum með ung börn er að fara niður að Tjörn og „gefa öndunum“ (þ.e. brauðmola).
Tjörnin er dæmi um sjávarlón þar sem sandur og möl hefur myndað malarrif sem lokar smám saman af lónið. Gamli miðbærinn í Reykjavík stendur á rifinu. Rifið var ekki fullmyndað fyrr en fyrir um það bil 1200 árum og þá hófst lífræn setmyndun í Tjörninni en undir þeim setlögum eru sand- og malarlög. Þegar lífræn efni tóku að safnast saman á botni Tjarnarinnar gætti lítilla seltuáhrifa og grunnvatn hefur streymt þangað frá Vatnsmýrinni og holtunum í kring. Tjarnarbakkarnir voru grónir gulstör (carex lyngbyei) og öðrum tegundum af hálfgrasaætt en svo komu tímabil þegar seltan verður meiri þá hörfuðu háplöntur. Um 1900 mun engum fugli hafa verið vært á Tjörninni, allir fuglar voru drepnir. Andaveiðar voru eitthvað stundaðar á Tjörninni allt fram á annan áratug síðustu aldar. Með lögreglusamþykkt frá 19. apríl 1919 var bannað að skjóta í borgarlandinu. Um sama leyti var sett siglingabann en áður höfðu margir átt báta og vegna umferðar þreifst ekkert kríuvarp í Tjarnarhólmanum fyrir 1919. Með skotveiðibanninu og siglingabanninu fjölgaði mikið stokköndum og kríum.