Norðoyggjar (North Islands) – Trap The Faroe Islands

Norðoyggjar (North Islands) is the northernmost archipelago in the Faroe Islands. The six islands Fugloy, Svínoy, Viðoy, Borðoy, Kunoy and Kalsoy, have from the old days been considered an administrative unit both in ecclesiastical and judicial contexts with its own vicar and its own local council. This is described in the Hundabrævið document from 1350 and in the registry of Skipan um Tingfaratoll from 1400 where Norðoyggjar is referred to as a unit. Today, the islands form one district, Norðoya, and are divided into two superior parishes.

With the Municipal Act of 1872, Norðoyggjar also became a municipal unit, which was gradually divided into several independent municipalities. In 2021, Norðoyggjar consisted of the five municipalities Klaksvíkar, Kunoyar, Viðareiðis, Hvannasunds and Fugloyar Kommuna.

On Norðoyggjar, as in the Faroe Islands in general, the peripheral agricultural villages have been challenged by both the centralisation of the fishing community and the emergence of the new tertiary professions in both the private and public sectors, and they have in many areas stagnated. Development and population growth have been centralised to the large areas with optimum port facilities and communication links. In recent times, salmon farming in the fjords and waters around the Faroe Islands has, however, created opportunities to establish and spread businesses and workplaces more evenly across the Faroe Islands.

A ferry crosses Fugloyarfjørður from Hvannasund on Viðoy to Svínoy and to both villages on Fugloy, as well as from Klaksvík to Kalsoy. All the other islands and villages on Norðoyggjar are connected by roads and tunnels. There is also a regular helicopter service to both Fugloy and Svínoy.

The spring council in Norðoyggjar

Since the earliest preserved Løgting records from 1615, the vártingið (spring council) in Norðoyggjar has been held in Vági (Klaksvík), but according to tradition, the council was originally held in Køtlum, a desolate plain in the mountains above Árnafjørður.

Køtlum is located roughly in the middle of Norðoyggjar, making the distance to the meetings at the council about the same for everyone. When in the 16th century, the civil servants in Tórshavn got a bigger role in the spring councils, they saw it as an advantage that the spring council was held in more easily accessible places. The spring councils were lower courts, and their judgments could be appealed to the Løgting in Tórshavn. This was held at ólavsøka on 29 July every year.

When the old Løgting was abolished in 1816 and the spring councils in 1852 and 1898, the judge of the Faroese Court of Justice took over the judicial duties.

The spring council in Norðoyggjar

Further reading