Smoke screened the sun on April 18th as two remarkable buildings burned down in the greatest fire in years in downtown Reykjavik. The buildings stand by Laekjartorg square, cornerwise across the street from the prime ministry, which was not in danger from the fire. The fire was difficult to handle for the team of 100 fire fighters and police men on location because of a very strong wind. Fire fighters that entered the blaze of fire wearing heavy protective wear and oxygen masks used up the contents of 300 tanks of oxygen during their work.

Although somewhat unremarkable to look at, historically the two storey buildings were highly important. Austurstraeti 22 was a timber building erected in the year 1801 and one of Reykjavík's oldest buildings. It was the residency of the Icelandic sub-governor of the Danish king, and for some period it was a priest seminary.

In 1809 an exciting era in the rather uneventful history of the country took place in the building, when Jorgen Jorgensen, a Danish adventurer but resident of England, staged a coup d'état in Iceland. On June 26, he overturned the king of Denmark and proclaimed himself the king of Iceland. During that time Austurstraeti 22 was his residency and office. He held dancing balls in the house, and nailed his proclamations on its walls, which gave the people of Iceland greater civil rights than they had enjoyed under the Danish king. Some historians claim that Jorgensen's "rule," lasting for less than two months during the dog days of 1809, influenced Iceland's claim for independence decades later, which it acquired fully in 1944.

Needless to say, Austurstraeti 22 was a protected building. Until the fire, the dance was still going on since it housed a trendy nightclub, and a small shop where the fire is believed to have started.

The other building, at Laekjargata 2, from 1852 and probably the first house in Reykjavik built around a street corner. It had been nominated to be protected as an old building. Two restaurants and a bar were in that house.

The owners of all the companies in the two buildings face total destruction of their facilities.

The strongly dedicated team of fire fighters and policemen managed to save adjacent houses to be consumed by the blaze as well, greatly reducing the potential damage.

The owners of the buildings have said that it is unclear what direction things will take on the two building lots, but the mayor of Reykjavik has given his statement. "It is very sad to see these buildings burn to the ground," said the mayor Mr. Vilhjalmur Th. Vilhjalmsson on location, "but we will re-erect these houses in their original design, anything else is unthinkable."

The removal of the burned remains of the buildings has already started, but perhaps the " Dog day king's" tradition of enjoying dancing in that place is set to continue.

Click on the images here below to enlarge.