Tórshavn (lit. "Thor's harbour"), usually locally referred to as simply Havn, is the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the northwest of the city lies the 347 m mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the 350 m Kirkjubøreyn. They are separated by the Sandá River. The city itself has a population of 14,001 (2022), and the greater urban area has a population of 21,078, including the suburbs of Hoyvik and Argir.
The Norse (Scandinavians) established their parliament on the Tinganes peninsula in AD 850. Tórshavn thus became the capital of the Faroe Islands and has remained so ever since. Early on, Tórshavn became the centre of the islands' trade monopoly, thereby being the only legal place for the islanders to sell and buy goods. In 1856, the trade monopoly was abolished and the islands were left open to free trade.
