Administration and Officials in the Capital

The idea of promoting Reykjavík "as a capital town" emerged as early as the first half of the 18th century. The second National Committee put the idea into practice in 1785, deciding to transfer the episcopal seat and school from Skálholt to Reykjavík. The following year, the Hólavellir School, Iceland's highest institution of education, was established in Reykjavík, and a decision was made to build a cathedral there. In 1801 the court at the old parliamentary site of Þingvellir was superseded by a national High Court, located in Reykjavík.

For a long time, state officials remained reluctant to live in Reykjavík. In 1805 education ceased there, when the school moved to Bessastaðir. A period of stagnation followed in Iceland's prospective capital. Iceland was affected by the Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century; Jørgen Jørgensen, a Danish adventurer, known as Jörundur the Dog-day King, arrived in Iceland in 1809 aboard a British vessel, and took over the government of the country for a time.

A new period of growth began in Reykjavík in 1844-47, when a number of new and important institutions were located in the town. These included the re-established parliament (Alþingi), the National Printing Press which paved the way for publication of periodicals and books, the transfer of the Learned School back to Reykjavík, and the foundation of a theological college, the first step towards the establishment of a university in Iceland. Initially, Reykjavík resembled a small Danish town. Most of the houses were single-storey, often with a tarred exterior and a steeply-pitched roof. Many prominent personalities of the town were Danish or half-Danish. Many country people despised Reykjavík as a den of corruption. In addition to a dislike for the Danes, this also reflected the disapproval of traditional rural society for the fisheries, and for workers with no permanent place in life. The town originally comprised only the present downtown area, but the judicial district was gradually enlarged, e.g. by purchase of adjacent estates.

A true town council was first established in Reykjavík in 1836; it was cautious and conservative throughout the 19th century. During the first half of the century, power lay with the town magistrate, in the spirit of Danish absolutism. Voting rights were restricted, mainly to freemen of the town and wealthier townspeople. Women gained equal rights to vote in municipal elections in 1908.