This time, marking the beginning of a new parliamentary year, we want to talk about a building that is just up that same road — the offices of the prime minister. The 18th century is the bleakest Icelanders have endured; plagues, famines, worsening climate and volcanic eruptions made life on the island unbearable. In 1759, a new property tax was levied on Icelanders to pay for such a building, and construction began in 1761. By 1820, it had been converted into the residency of the highest-ranking magistrate in Iceland. We tend to look at it as only giving us benefits, and often forgotten is the fact that we also have obligations to maintain it.