Iceland was first settled in the 9th century by Vikings from Norway. The tour guides will tell you that Ingólfur, who was one of the first to arrive, threw logs into the sea. Where they landed he founded Reykjavík. These early pioneers lived in turf houses which continued as basic accommodation until as late as the 1950s. In the 14th century Iceland came under Danish rule until gaining independence in 1944. In the 18th and 19th centuries, wooden houses were imported from Scandinavia, many of which have been restored and can be seen in fishing villages around the country.
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