The capital of the Faeroe Islands is named after the pagan Thunder god Thor.  It is situated on the southern side of Island Straumey and was founded in 825, when the first settlers came there from Norway.  On December 1^st 1999 the number of inhabitants was about 15000, which probably makes Thorshofn the smallest capital of the world.  It is, however, a modern town with all necessary services, many places of interest, i.e. museums, old houses, monuments and parks.  Point Thinganes is down by the harbour, where one of the oldest parliaments, Logthing, was founded.  The coves on both sides of the point, Eystri- and Vestarivogur, are a part of the harbour, which faces the open seas rather unsheltered. 

During the first centuries after the settlement there was no real village there.  The inhabitants started assembling regularly on Thinganes in the 10^th century like their ancestors did in the old country.  The parliament is still called Logthing in spite of great changes during the centuries.