Austurvöllur

The square is a popular gathering place for the citizens of Reykjavík, and especially during good weather due to the prevalence of cafés on Vallarstræti and Pósthússtræti.

Located around the perimeter of the square are: Alþingishúsið (the Parliament House), Dómkirkjan (the city's oldest church), the Hotel Borg, as well as numerous cafés, restaurants and bars.

One of the first of these such protests were the demonstrations which took in relation to the intended placement of radio towers across the country in 1905, when thousands of people gathered together in Austurvöllur.

Following the economic crisis of 2008, protests by the political organization Raddir fólksins ("Voices of the people") began in Austurvöllur on 11 October 2008, and continued to be held every Saturday until the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Geir Haarde.

The main demands of the protests were the resignations of the government, the Central Bank of Iceland, and the board of The Financial Supervisory Authority.