Mosfellsbær is a community in Iceland located east of Reykjavík with a population of 9.481 in 2016. When visitors drive from Reykjavík towards the West region or Thingvellir, they drive through Mosfellsbær. Like many of the towns around the Capital Reykjavík, it is tightly connected to the city. Almost like a suburb. Unlike many suburbs, Mosfellsbær has a lot to offer visitors and Icelanders alike. It is a culturally rich community. It was the home to Halldór Laxness, Iceland’s only Nobel Prize winner for literature in 1955, and also the home of Sundlaugin (The swimming pool) Sigur Rós´s studio. Halldórs Laxness house is now a museum in the Mosfellsdalur valley and is hard to miss if you drive to Thingvellir.
Mosfellsbær offers a lot to people visiting Iceland
The town offers many opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, golfing, and even trout fishing. An interesting walking path along the coast from Reykjavik to Mosfellsbær is quite suitable for most people. The town, surrounded by hills that are not so steep to climb, offers an astonishing view of Reykjavík and its surroundings. If you are visiting Reykjavík and looking for some outdoor activity, it is probably not a bad idea to find accommodation in Mosfellsbær.
Center for the Icelandic wool industry
Mosfellsbær was once one of the main production centers of Iceland’s wool industry. A wool factory, Álafoss, founded in 1896 by a farmer at Varmá, later became a wool manufacturer and clothing manufacturer with an impressive share in foreign and local markets. Unfortunately, the venture didn’t last on a large scale, but the wool factory is still in operation on a smaller scale. Today some of the old buildings around the old factory are used for other commercial activities in an interesting area, Álafosskvosin, a place worth visiting.
Mosfellsbær is best known for its rehabilitation center
Reykjalundur in Mosfellsbær is a highly professional rehabilitation center and has been one of the most effective in Iceland for decades. It started in 1945 to treat tuberculosis patients. The operation comprises nine main fields: heart, lung, psychiatric, arthritis, pain, habilitation, neurology, nutrition, and occupational rehabilitation. It is probably one of the most respected institutions in Iceland.
Most of Mosfellsbær has developed as a town in recent decades. It mainly comprises fairly large single-family houses with large lots. In recent decades, the town has seen more apartment buildings. The houses are all heated with geothermal green energy heating from the Reykjavík Power and Heating Plant.
A peaceful community in the capital area
Like most communities in Iceland, the town offers a usual quality service to its residents. The town has Elementary, middle, and high schools. It emphasizes an artistic curriculum in an Art school that teaches fine art, music, and theater. The outdoor sports facilities are exceptionally good. The town has a sports center and a swimming pool.