| Blönduósbær | |
| Settlement Type: | Town and former municipality |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | Iceland |
| Coordinates: | 65.6667°N -38°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Iceland |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Northwestern Region |
| Subdivision Type2: | Constituency |
| Subdivision Name2: | Northwest Constituency |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Húnabyggð |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1876 |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 183 |
| Population Total: | 895 |
| Population Density Km2: | 4.73 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 540, 541 |
Blönduós (pronounced as /is/) is a town and former municipality in the north of Iceland with a population of 895 in 2018.[1] Like many towns and villages around Iceland, Blönduós did not emerge as a village until the late 19th century. The town is situated on Route 1 at the mouth of the glacial river Blanda. Hrútey in Icelandic pronounced as /ˈr̥uːtˌeiː/, a small island and natural reserve encircled by the river, is accessible via a pedestrian bridge just off the ring road. In 2022, the town merged with Húnavatnshreppur to form Húnabyggð.[2]
One of Blönduós' main characteristics is that the town is split into two parts by the glacial river Blanda, for which it is named (Blöndu is an oblique case of Blanda). The old part of town (Icelandic: "gamli bærinn"), including many original houses from the late 19th and early 20th century, is located on the south side of the river. Many of the local companies, the elementary school, supermarket, community center and sports facilities including a modern outdoor heated pool are located on the north side. On a hill above town is a church with striking architecture that is intended to resemble a volcanic crater.
Most of the industry and livelihood in Blönduós evolve around service for agriculture and tourism.[3] In recent years, the town has become known for its connection with textiles. A wool washery, Iceland's only textile museum and the Icelandic Textile Center, featuring a residency program for international textile artists and scholars, are all located in Blönduós.
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Iceland.
Blönduós is twinned with:[4] [5]
Blönduós has a tundra climate (ET).
