Björn Gunnlaugsson

Björn Gunnlaugsson
Björn Gunnlaugsson wearing the two orders he received for his survey work. Portrait by Sigurður málari
Born	(1788-09-25)25 September 1788 Tannstaðir, Iceland
Died	17 March 1876(1876-03-17) (aged 87) Reykjavík, Iceland
Other names	Gunnlaugsson, Bjorn; Gunnlaugsson, Bjørn
Occupation	cartographer

Björn Gunnlaugsson (25 September 1788 – 17 March 1876) was an Icelandic mathematician and cartographer. For the Icelandic Literary Society, he surveyed the country from 1831 to 1843. The results of his work were published in a topographic map of Iceland at a scale of 1:480,000 on four sheets. It was the first complete map of Iceland and, although generally dated to 1844, was not completed until 1848. It was published under the direction of Olaf Nikolas Olsen in Copenhagen. In 1849, a smaller edition on one sheet at a scale of 1:960,000 appeared. For his survey work, Björn received the Order of the Dannebrog in 1846 and the French Légion d'honneur in 1859.

Björn was born at Tannstaðir, a remote farm on the Hrútafjörður in Húnavatnssýsla in north-western Iceland. Although the family was poor, they sent him to school to the local priests, who recognized his intellectual abilities. In 1808, Björn passed an exam in Reykjavík, obtaining a recommendation by the bishop for studying at the university of Copenhagen. But these plans were delayed by the Gunboat War between Denmark-Norway and the United Kingdom. Only after the end of the Napoleonic Wars could Björn travel to Denmark and enrolled in 1817 at the University of Copenhagen, where he studied theology and mathematics. During his studies, he won the university's gold medal for mathematics twice.

In 1822, a new post for a school teacher in Danish, mathematics, and history opened at the school of Bessastaðir in Iceland and was offered to Björn. He abandoned his theologic studies and accepted the post, returning to Iceland and taking up his duties as a school teacher on 14 May 1822. When the school was moved to Reykjavík in 1846, Björn followed. Five years later he was appointed chief assistant (Yfirkennari) to the rector. He retired in 1862.