Culture of Iceland

The culture of Iceland is largely characterized by its literary heritage that began during the 12th century but also traditional arts such as weaving, silversmithing, and wood carving.

Icelandic architecture draws from Scandinavia and traditionally was influenced by the lack of native trees on the island.

[citation needed] Iceland has produced many great authors including Halldór Laxness, Guðmundur Kamban, Tómas Guðmundsson, Davíð Stefánsson, Jón Thoroddsen, Steinn Steinarr, Guðmundur G. Hagalín, Þórbergur Þórðarson, and Jóhannes úr Kötlum.

This group of artists included Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval, who painted village life in Iceland.

He has been called "The crusader of the painting",[1] because of his involvement in those conflicts many Icelandic painters had with the public fine art centers.

In the June 2005 European Commission Eurobarometer public opinion analysis, over 85% of Icelanders found independence to be "very important", contrasted with the EU25 average of 53%, 47% for the Norwegians, and 49% for the Danish.

Prior to the Christianization of Iceland, Pagan beliefs were strongly held, remnants of which remain today.

Icelandic society and culture has a high degree of gender equality, with many women in leadership positions in government and business.

Iceland has a highly progressive gay rights legislation, with couples having been able to register civil unions since 1996, adopt since 2006, and marry since 2010.

Women retain their names after marriage, since Icelanders generally do not use surnames but patronyms or (in certain cases) matronyms.

The 2003 Children's Act outlawed spanking, verbal and emotional abuse, and makes child protection a priority.

Nowadays þorramatur is mostly eaten during the ancient Nordic month of þorri, in January and February, as a tribute to old culture.

These are mostly offal dishes like hrútspungar (pickled ram's testicles), putrefied shark, singed sheep heads, singed sheep head jam, black pudding, liver sausage (similar to Scottish haggis) and dried fish (often cod or haddock).

Over the years, the educational system has been decentralised, and responsibility for primary and lower secondary schools lies with the local authorities.

[citation needed] The popular children's TV programme LazyTown (Latibær), created by Magnús Scheving, was produced in Iceland.

[5] Famous early Icelanders were Leif Erikson, who introduced Christianity to Greenland and discovered the North American mainland (c. 1000).

In the middle of the 16th century, the Danish crown formally declared Lutheranism the state religion under the Icelandic Reformation.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland is visiting the geothermal spas and pools that can be found all around the country, such as Bláa Lónið (The Blue Lagoon) on the Reykjanes Peninsula near the Keflavík International Airport.