Austurstræti

Austurstræti in 2009

Austurstræti (Icelandic pronunciation: ​[ˈœistʏrˌstraiːtɪ], "East Street") is a street in central Reykjavík that runs from east to Lækjargata. In its continuation is Bankastræti and Laugavegur. On the 18th of April 2007, a fire broke out in Austurstræti that destroyed two historic houses, but caused no injuries.^[1]

Names of Austurstræti[]

Austurstræti was first called Langafortov or Langastétt (transl. Long-pavement). The street was so named because its south side was paved with stone so people could walk over it despite of heavy rain.^[2]

Austurstræti in popular culture[]

• Comedian Laddi sang about Austurstræti in a popular pop song with the same name. Its opening lines are: Ég niður' í Austurstræti snarast létt á strigaskónum, með bros á vör og tyggígúmmí í munninum.
• The pop sorg Fröken Reykjavík by Jónas and Jón Múla Árnason begins with the question: Hver gengur þarna eftir Austurstræti og ilmar eins og vorsins blóm með djarfan svip og ögn af yfirlæti á ótrúlega rauðum skóm?
• Poet Tómas Guðmundsson wrote the poem Austurstræti, which includes the lines: Og þúsund hjörtu grípur gömul kæti. / Og gömul hjörtu þrá á ný og sakna. / Ó, bernsku vorrar athvarf, Austurstræti, / hve endurminningarnar hjá þér vakna.

References[]

Coordinates: 64°08′52.1″N 21°56′23.3″W / 64.147806°N 21.939806°W / 64.147806; -21.939806

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