The Reykjavik City and Environmental and Planning Commission wants to preserve the archaeological remains that were discovered by Laekjargata street and the old harbour earlier in the summer.
Archaeologists working by the old harbour found that the old quay under a parking lot had been completely preserved, while a different team discovered the ruins of the biggest Viking Age longhouse ever come across in Iceland in another car park by Laekjargata street.
The two discoveries were completely unexpected. Although experts were aware that sections of the old harbour quay may well have been preserved in the ground, it was a complete shock that the quay was preserved fully intact.
The Reykjavik Environmental and Planning Commission now wants the city council to establish an advisory committee to determine how the remains can be preserved so that the general public has access to view them. It insists that the council must act quickly as construction is due to start at both sites in the autumn.