Some streets in Reykjavík have had their names officially changed from being named after men to being named after historic Icelandic women.
RÚV reports that four streets in the Tún neighbourhood of Reykjavík have undergone the change. The women the four streets are now named after have one thing in common: they were all the first women to sit on Reykjavík city council, in 1908.
Sætún is now called Guðrúnartún, after Guðrún Björnsdóttir; Höfðatún was changed to Katrínartún, after Katrín Magnússon; Skúlatún has become Þórunnartún, after Þórunn Jónassen and Skúlagata east of Snorrabraut is now Bríetartún, after Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir.
Not only street names have changed, though – house numbers are also different. For example, what was Skúlagata 52 is now Bríetartún 6.
Sigurður Þór Guðjónsson, a man who lives on Skúlagata/Bríetartún, told reporters he felt the change was too radical and too fast for an area with as many residents as Tún has, adding that he believes city council should have discussed the idea with residents first.
The old street signs will remain up alongside the new ones until 2014, though, in order to help people adjust to the changes.
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