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The town of Stykkishólmur is situated in the western part of Iceland, to the north of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. With its 1240 inhabitants, it is a center of services and commerce for the area. Most of the people make their living from fishing and tourism. A ferry called Baldur goes over the Breiðafjörður fjord to the West Fjords (Vestfirðir). The favourable position of the town was discovered rather early and in 1550 a trading post was founded at the site. Today, the most important employer of the town after the fishing industry is a convent of Catholic nuns. The town was named after a small island in front of the harbour with the name Stykkið (meaning the piece in Icelandic). The nearby mountain of Helgafell is the burial place of Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir, a heroine of the Icelandic sagas. The town's former library has been restored as a public hall and contains an installation by the American artist Roni Horn. The sports club of Stykkishólmur is called Snæfell (Umf. Snæfell), named after a glacier which is located on Snæfellsnes, called Snæfellsjökull.