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Christopher Columbus seems to have stayed at Ingjaldshóll during the winter of 1477-78. But as is well known then Icelanders, Leif the Lucky, were the first Caucasian people to discover America or Vínland, and the first Caucasian child born in America was Icelandic.
Columbus apparently knew about this voyage and wanted to get some information and tips about the Viking voyages before starting on his own journey west.
This place is very rich of stories and this blog tells more about it
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/the-historic...
Christopher Columbus seems to have stayed at Ingjaldshóll during the winter of 1477-78. But as is well known then Icelanders, Leif the Lucky, were the first Caucasian people to discover America or Vínland, and the first Caucasian child born in America was Icelandic.
Columbus apparently knew about this voyage and wanted to get some information and tips about the Viking voyages before starting on his own journey west.
This place is very rich of stories and this blog tells more about it
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/the-historic...
After the blizzard.
The arctic fox is still staying with me. I have not seen it and I expect it is white, for if brown I think I would have.
Not all Icelandic foxes change to whit during the winter.
Leur couleur dépend du nombre de bulles d'air emprisonnées dans la glace. En effet, dès qu'un rayon de soleil entre dans une des bulles, une partie de la lumière est réfléchie. ... Une partie seulement de la lumière est alors réfléchie, en particulier les longueurs d'ondes bleues.
Parce qu’ils sont faits de glace pure, avec peu de bulles d’air ,la lumière blanche qui pénètre l’iceberg subit une absorption sélective selon les longueurs d’ondes qui la constituent. Les grandes longueurs d’ondes, comme le jaune et le rouge, sont absorbées en premier, les courtes comme le bleu subsistent plus longtemps. A 30 m de fond, dans la glace, seul le bleu n’est pas totalement absorbé. De plus, en rebondissant sur les molécules de glace, les ondes subissent un important phénomène de diffusion. Les fréquences du bleu semblent alors amplifiées. La fraction de lumière qui ressort, privée de ses radiations rouges, donne sa couleur bleue à l’iceberg. Les icebergs blancs, eux, sont formés par accumulation de neige. Leur glace contient beaucoup de bulles d’air. La lumière pénètre peu, car elle se réfléchit à leur surface. Après une infinité de réflexions, la lumière ressort sans avoir subi d’absorption. Conséquence : elle est toujours blanche.
source: guidetoiceland.is/fr/la-nature-en-islande/jokulsarlon-et-...;
A small natural arch sits on Hrútafell, a cliff in the foothills west of Eyjafjöll (volcano). The cliff looms above Skarðshlíð. a farm along Iceland’s Ring Road in south Iceland just west of Skógafoss (a famous waterfall). An Icelandic folktale tells of a strongman named Grettir Ásmundsson who was showing off and ripped a giant boulder right out of Hrútafell cliff and tossed it to the valley floor. That boulder, Drangurinn ( not pictured), was the location of early structures built in caves along its base. Hrútafell is composed of, volcanic ash< from the nearby volcanoes. A storm moved in while we were there making for some great shots.
References:
www.katlageopark.com/geosites/drangurinn-i-drangshlid-2/
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/drangshlid-r...
Jón Árnason. Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur og Æfintýri. 2 vols. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1862, 1864
Christopher Columbus seems to have stayed at Ingjaldshóll during the winter of 1477-78. But as is well known then Icelanders, Leif the Lucky, were the first Caucasian people to discover America or Vínland, and the first Caucasian child born in America was Icelandic.
Columbus apparently knew about this voyage and wanted to get some information and tips about the Viking voyages before starting on his own journey west.
This place is very rich of stories and this blog tells more about it
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/the-historic...
In the Snæfellsnes penisula one can find some large springs with mineral water.
C2O and different minerals bubble up with the water. This one is my fabourit. Tastes nice, but it gets flat wery fast so you can take a bottle with you, but dont keep it long.
Taste of the water is dffferent from a well to well but in general the water shall be very healing - even modern reacearch support that. Even though the most famous wells are in Snæfellsnes, they can be found many places near active volkano systems
Here is some more about the fizzing wells
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/natural-mine...
A lava tube cave In Snæfellsnes. The tour was not made for photographers and most photos I took are beond use. But I like this one in spite of the shake. The cave is in 4 floors and the stair down from the third one to the bottom floor is 12 meters high.
Now lava tubes are active in the Fagradalshraun - Geldingadalir eruption, where most of the lava flow is not visible on the surface. Only the future will show if one of them will drain out and open up after the eruption and when the lava has cooled down.
In Vestmannaeyjar lavafield from 1973 one small lavatube has opened up, but much smaller than this one.
Then there are a lot of other lava caves, guidetoiceland.is/nature-info/caves-in-iceland
But when back in Djúpalónssandur one is reminded why there was builded rescue chelter in the next cove
There are all over the sand now the iron pieces from the British trawler, The Epine GY7, which was wrecked east of Dritvík cove on the night of 13th March 1948. Fourteen men lost their lives and five were saved by the Icelandic rescue team in the neighbouring villages, which managed, after two long and cold hours, to get a line to the trawler.
There was a blizzard on this cold winter night in March and the fishermen were losing their grip and had started falling into the cold sea. One of them fell overboard and washed up on the beach where the rescue team managed to save him. Three others were already dead and their bodies washed up on the beach. Many of the fishermen were never found.
The skipper, Alfred Loftis, clinging to the ship, shouted to the rescue team: "I do not mind what happens to me as long as the boys are all right. Look after the boys!". Shortly after he was gone, swept away by a big wave.
It is just heartbreaking thinking about the fate of these English fishermen.
The iron remains, which washed up on the beach, are protected and should not be touched. They are kept here in memory of these brave fishermen from England, so let's respect them and leave them in peace.
(guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/djupalonssan...)
There have been other shipwrecks in this area. and in a way these iron peaces have become a monument for all the fishermen that have fighted for their lifes in the fishing stations in Snæfellsnes
The island, Sandey, lies in Þingvalliavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. Covering an area of 84 square kilometers (32 square miles), the lake reaches a depth of 114 metres (374 feet) at its deepest point. Þingvallavatn is a rift lake that fills down-faulted valleys situated on a part of the Mid-Atlantic Rift known as the Reykjanes Ridge that comes a shore in Iceland. Sandey is a small volcano that formed along the rift zone and forms an island in the lake. The only outflow of the lake is the river Sog (Sogið).
Þingvalliavatn is home to four morphs of Arctic Char that inhabit the lake. The lake’s char are an excellent example of species adapting to a secluded environment; over ten thousand years. In this case, biologist believe that one species of Char transformed into four different-sub branches or morphs.
Þingvalliavatn takes its name from the historical founding of the Icelandic parliament, the Alþingi, which occurred in 930 AD in the rift valleys of the area now known as Þingvellir National Park. Þingvellir literally translates to ‘Fields of Parliament’. Southern portions of the lake lie within the boundaries of the current National Park.
This photo was taken from a scenic overlook along the Þingvallavegur (Iceland Route 36).
References:
guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/thingvallavatn
Is the least populated country in Europe.Almost 80% of the country is uninhabited and much of its terrain consists of Plateaux's,Mountain Peaks and fertie lowlands.There are many long deep fjords and Glaciers including Europe's largest Vatnajokull.and also the land of the Volcano's Iceland has many active and inactive volcanoes (about 130 all together)due to it being situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.Basically,the country is in the middle of or on top of two tectonic plates and has 30 active volcanic systems running through the island.
Information from Guidetoiceland.
Gatklettur ("Hellnar Arch") is a famous, naturally formed stone arch found between the villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
On the second day we drove 600 km (from Borgenes to this waterfall Dynjandi (guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/dynjandi-the...) , and back). While the previous day had stunning weather, it turned out to be only one of two. For the rest it was clouded, misty, windy, and raining from time to time (and sometimes the whole day).
This magnificent waterfall is rather peculiar, because of the cascades in the top part of the fall (like a bridal veil, and furthermore there are 4 or 5 falls lower down. Here you see the top two.
The island, Sandey, lies in Þingvalliavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. Covering an area of 84 square kilometers (32 square miles), the lake reaches a depth of 114 metres (374 feet) at its deepest point. Þingvallavatn is a rift lake that fills down-faulted valleys situated on a part of the Mid-Atlantic Rift known as the Reykjanes Ridge that comes a shore in Iceland. Sandey is a small volcano that formed along the rift zone and forms an island in the lake. The only outflow of the lake is the river Sog (Sogið).
Þingvalliavatn is home to 4 the four morphs of Arctic Char that inhabit the lake. The lake’s char are an excellent example of species adapting to a secluded environment; over ten thousand years. In this case, biologist believe that one species of Char transformed into four different-sub branches.
Þingvalliavatn takes its name from the historical founding of the Icelandic parliament, the Alþingi, which occurred in 930 AD in the rift valleys of the area now known as Þingvellir National Park. Þingvellir literally translates to ‘Fields of Parliament’. Southern portions of the lake lie within the boundaries of the current National Park.
This photo was taken from a senic overlook along the Þingvallavegur (Iceland Route 36).
References:
guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/thingvallavatn
Vatnsnesvegur, Iceland
Hvítserkur, otherwise known as the Troll of Northwest Iceland, is a 15 m (49 ft) tall basalt rock stack protruding from Húnaflói Bay. The rock is a nesting ground for seagulls, shag and fulmar, making it appear constantly in motion, further enforcing the idea that Hvítserkur is, in some way, very much alive.
It should come as no surprise that Hvítserkur is often referred to as a troll—most distinctive Icelandic rocks are. Folklore says that Hvítserkur was originally a troll from the peninsula, determined to rip the bells down from Þingeyraklaustur convent; trolls, unlike elves, are said to be terrified of Christianity.
The beast was so enraged and persistent that it did not notice the rising sun, and was instantly petrified for eternity in its rays.
Skálholtskirkja sits in a historic complex at Skálholt in South Iceland. This church was built in 1961-63 on the same basic foundation as most of the ten previous chapels and cathedrals built at the site. The church honors the historic and religious dignificance of this site, which once was the capital of Iceland and, along with Hólar to the north, its religious center. Though some of the old wooden cathedrals were larger, the new Church is similar in size to the last two.
For over 700 years Skálholt was a center center of religion, culture and education in Iceland which makes it one of country´s most important historic sites. Norse settlers came to the area in the late 800s and early 900s (AD). In 1000 AD, New law mandated Christianity as the official religion of Iceland. The country’s first bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson, ordained in 1056, made Skálholt the episcopal see of all Iceland (until another Episcopal see was created in Hólar in 1106 AD). Over the next 700 years several significant religious and cultural events would occur at Skálholt.
1- One of the most revered of the bishops residing at Skálholt duuring the middle ages was Þorlákur Þórhallsson (bishop 1178-1198), who became Iceland’s only saint.
2-For centuries after Bishop Þórhallsson’s death, people came on pilgrimage from all corners of Iceland to visit his relics in Skálholt.
3-During those medieval times, huge wooden cathedrals were built at Skálholt. These cathedrals drew many from across Iceland. Before the Reformation 32 Catholic Bishops sat at Skálholt.
4-During the mid 16th century, Icelanders, now under Danish rule, converted to Lutheranism.The Reformation came during turbulent times in Iceland. On November 7, 1550, Bishop Jón Arason along with his two sons, Björn and Ar, were beheaded at Skálholt. Arason who was the Bishop of Hólar had been the last remaining Catholic bishop in Iceland.
5-The translation of the Bible into Icelandic started in secrecy in a cow stall of Skálholt.
6-After the Reformation, one of the best known and most influential bishops of Skálholt was Brynjólfur Sveinsson (bishop 1639-1674), Highly respected for his learning, he collected old Icelandic manuscripts that help preserve history and the language. Under his direction, church members built a new wooden church at Skálholt, approximately the same size as the present Cathedral.
7-In all ten churches have stood at in Skálholt. Some measured larger and some smaller but all were built on the same basic foundations.
For centuries Skálholt was the actual capital of a rural society and the cultural and spiritual center of the country (together with Hólar in the North), figuring eminently in the cultural and church history. But after waning status of the bishop’s office, volcanic eruptions, a major earthquake and other disasters in the late 18th century the episcopal see and school were transferred to Reykjavík. Skálholt fell into disrepute.
In the mid-20th century Skálholt rose from ashes, due to its historical significance. The modern cathedral, consecrated in 1963, displays works of modern art, as well as for artifacts from previous churches on the site.
References:
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/skalholt-in-...
Mountains rise above Þingvalliavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. Covering an area of 84 square kilometers (32 square miles), the lake reaches a depth of 114 metres (374 feet) at its deepest point. Þingvallavatn is a rift lake that fills down-faulted valleys situated on a part of the Mid-Atlantic Rift known as the Reykjanes Ridge that comes a shore in Iceland. Sandey is a small volcano that formed along the rift zone and forms an island in the lake. The only outflow of the lake is the river Sog (Sogið).
Þingvalliavatn is home to 4 the four morphs of Arctic Char that inhabit the lake. The lake’s char are an excellent example of species adapting to a secluded environment; over ten thousand years. In this case, biologist believe that one species of Char transformed into four different-sub branches.
Þingvalliavatn takes its name from the historical founding of the Icelandic parliament, the Alþingi, which occurred in 930 AD in the rift valleys of the area now known as Þingvellir National Park. Þingvellir literally translates to ‘Fields of Parliament’. Southern portions of the lake lie within the boundaries of the current National Park.
This photo was taken from a senic overlook along the Þingvallavegur (Iceland Route 36).
References:
guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/thingvallavatn
Kirkjufell (“Church Mountain”) is a distinctly shaped mountain found on the north coast of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, only a short distance away from the town of Grundarfjörður.
Peaking at 463 m, Kirkjufell holds the honour of being Iceland’s most photographed mountain. Throughout the centuries, Kirkjufell’s striking slopes have acted as a visual landmark for seafarers and travellers.
guidetoiceland.is
Skálholtskirkja sits in a historic complex at Skálholt in South Iceland. This church was built in 1961-63 on the same basic foundation as most of the ten previous chapels and cathedrals built at the site. The church honors the historic and religious dignificance of this site, which once was the capital of Iceland and, along with Hólar to the north, its religious center. Though some of the old wooden cathedrals were larger, the new Church is similar in size to the last two.
For over 700 years Skálholt was a center center of religion, culture and education in Iceland which makes it one of country´s most important historic sites. Norse settlers came to the area in the late 800s and early 900s (AD). In 1000 AD, New law mandated Christianity as the official religion of Iceland. The country’s first bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson, ordained in 1056, made Skálholt the episcopal see of all Iceland (until another Episcopal see was created in Hólar in 1106 AD). Over the next 700 years several significant religious and cultural events would occur at Skálholt.
1- One of the most revered of the bishops residing at Skálholt duuring the middle ages was Þorlákur Þórhallsson (bishop 1178-1198), who became Iceland’s only saint.
2-For centuries after Bishop Þórhallsson’s death, people came on pilgrimage from all corners of Iceland to visit his relics in Skálholt.
3-During those medieval times, huge wooden cathedrals were built at Skálholt. These cathedrals drew many from across Iceland. Before the Reformation 32 Catholic Bishops sat at Skálholt.
4-During the mid 16th century, Icelanders, now under Danish rule, converted to Lutheranism.The Reformation came during turbulent times in Iceland. On November 7, 1550, Bishop Jón Arason along with his two sons, Björn and Ar, were beheaded at Skálholt. Arason who was the Bishop of Hólar had been the last remaining Catholic bishop in Iceland.
5-The translation of the Bible into Icelandic started in secrecy in a cow stall of Skálholt.
6-After the Reformation, one of the best known and most influential bishops of Skálholt was Brynjólfur Sveinsson (bishop 1639-1674), Highly respected for his learning, he collected old Icelandic manuscripts that help preserve history and the language. Under his direction, church members built a new wooden church at Skálholt, approximately the same size as the present Cathedral.
7-In all ten churches have stood at in Skálholt. Some measured larger and some smaller but all were built on the same basic foundations.
For centuries Skálholt was the actual capital of a rural society and the cultural and spiritual center of the country (together with Hólar in the North), figuring eminently in the cultural and church history. But after waning status of the bishop’s office, volcanic eruptions, a major earthquake and other disasters in the late 18th century the episcopal see and school were transferred to Reykjavík. Skálholt fell into disrepute.
In the mid-20th century Skálholt rose from ashes, due to its historical significance. The modern cathedral, consecrated in 1963, displays works of modern art, as well as for artifacts from previous churches on the site.
References:
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/skalholt-in-...
5 Reasons not to behave like Justin Bieber in Iceland:
guidetoiceland.is/history-culture/5-reasons-why-you-shoul...
Visitors to Reynisfjara must be made well aware of the potential dangers present at the beach. First of all, the rolling, roaring waves of Reynisfjara are particularly violent, often pushing far further up the beach than many would expect.
These are called sneaker-waves, and they can appear when least expected, even on incredibly still days. There are no significant landmasses in between Antarctica and the shores of Reynisfjara, meaning waves have thousands of kilometers to build.
Visitors are advised to never turn their back on the waves, and keep a safe distance of at least 30 meters (98 feet). Aside from these sudden and dramatic shifts in the tide, the rip currents offshore are infamous for their strength and ability to drag helpless people out into the freezing cold open ocean. A number of fatal accidents have occurred at Reynisfjara, the last of which occurred in January 2017.
Visitors can be seen walking far down in the Almannagjá Gorge in Þingvellir National Park in southwest Iceland. The entire Þingvellir region is located in a rift valley created by the drifting apart of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The tectonic plates are drifting in opposite directions at the rate of 7 mm (0.276 in) annually. Almannagjá lies along the North American plate on the west side of the valley. It measures 7.7 km long and 64 m wide at its maximum. The gorge’s cliffs lie along a fault with a maximum throw of 30-40 m. Geologists believe the Þingvellir faults (fissures) to be the surface expressions of deeply rooted normal faults. Basalt from cooled lava flows make up the cliffs and valley floor. About two thousand years ago, the basalt erupted from near by fissures. At the top of the photo, the base of Ármannsfell, a volcanic mountain, dominates the horizon.
This unique geology became the backdrop for some of Iceland's most important political and cultural events. Iceland’s settlement by The Norse began with the arrival of Ingólfur Arnarson in 874. Historians refer to the next 56 years, as ‘The Settlement Period’. Driven away from a newly united Norway under King Harald Fairhair, settlers from many different clans settled all around the island’s shores. Though the new arrivals shared an ancestral home, religion and language, difference sprang up because each clan had its own leaders and customs. Violence broke out from time to time between these clans both over their beliefs and for the limited resources their new island had to offer. In order to address these issues the people decided to hold a general assembly with members from each clan.
A man called Grímur Geitskör was given the tasks of gathering representatives from each clan and finding a suitable meeting location. As Geitskör was searching for a location, a man who owned a sheltered piece of land accessible from all corners of the country was convicted of murder, and his property turned public. This sheltered place was in the rift valley at Þingvellir. People from all over Iceland could reach the assembly place with no more than seventeen days of traveling. In 930 AD, over thirty ruling chiefs met for the first time at Þingvellir to discuss law on the island and to create a Viking commonwealth. Their meeting place was within the Almannagjá Gorge.
Þingvellir translated literally means "Assembly Plains”. The Parliament, called The Alþing, met at Þingvellir from 930 to 1798 AD. Many important historic and cultural events occurred here while Parliment was in session which makes it one of the most imporant places in Icelandic History. In 1799 the Alþing stopped meeting due to Danish colonialism. The Alþing started meeting again sporadically in 1848 in Reykjavik but was given only limited powers by the King of Denmark. It was 1907 before the Alþing started meeting regularly also in Reykjavik. In 1928, just before the 1000 anniversary of the foundation of Alþingi in 1930, the parliament made Þingvellir a National Park. When Iceland declared it independence from Denmark in 1944, the declaration was made at Þingvellir. Today, hundreds of thousands visit Þingvellir National Park every year and most of those visitors walk the Almannagjá.
References:
icelandroadguide.com/items/hakid/
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/jorunnsg/ingvellir-...
notendur.hi.is/oi/geology_of_thingvellir.htm
www.thingvellir.is/en/history-nature/history/
icelandmag.is/article/9-essential-things-know-about-thing...
t is one of the two most famous Víti craters in Iceland, the other being Víti in Askja. The name of both means’ hell’, in reference to the violence in the past.
This particular Víti was formed in 1724 by a massive eruption in part of the Krafla volcanic region. This event lasted, in its entirety, for five years, and was called the Mývatn Fires. Jets of lava shooting in the sky were said to have been visible from the South Coast.
The 18th Century had several major eruptions throughout the country, including the notorious Laki, the ash cloud of which plunged Europe into famine.
The diameter of the crater is around 300 meters; it is much better known, however, for the aqua blue water that sits within it year-round. This vivid colouration is due to elements brought up from the geothermal activity in the area.
Like other explosion craters in the country, such as Hverfell, Víti in Krafla was formed by a sudden, powerful ejection of magma from right beneath the surface.
(source: www.guidetoiceland.is)
Excerpt from guidetoiceland.is:
Djúpalónssandur is an arched-shaped bay of dark cliffs and black sand, located on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland.
golden light blasting through an array of Ice fragments on the black sand beacn.
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Excerpt from guidetoiceland.is:
Reynisfjara is a black pebble beach and features an amazing cliff of regular basalt columns resembling a rocky step pyramid, which is called Gardar. Out in the sea are the spectacularly shaped basalt sea stacks Reynisdrangar. The area has a rich birdlife, including puffins, fulmars and guillemots.
The waves at Reynisfjara are especially strong and unpredictable, and fatal accidents have occurred at this beach, so people are advised to take extra care when visiting the area.
According to folklore, two trolls attempted to drag a ship to land but were turned to stone as daylight broke, turning them into the Reynisdrangar stacks, clearly visible from the beach.
Skálholtskirkja sits in a historic complex at Skálholt in South Iceland. This church was built in 1961-63 on the same basic foundation as most of the ten previous chapels and cathedrals built at the site. The church honors the historic and religious dignificance of this site, which once was the capital of Iceland and, along with Hólar to the north, its religious center. Though some of the old wooden cathedrals were larger, the new Church is similar in size to the last two.
For over 700 years Skálholt was a center of religion, culture and education in Iceland which makes it one of country´s most important historic sites. Norse settlers came to the area in the late 800s and early 900s (AD). In 1000 AD, New law mandated Christianity as the official religion of Iceland. The country’s first bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson, ordained in 1056, made Skálholt the episcopal see of all Iceland (until another Episcopal see was created in Hólar in 1106 AD). Over the next 700 years several significant religious and cultural events would occur at Skálholt.
1- One of the most revered of the bishops residing at Skálholt duuring the middle ages was Þorlákur Þórhallsson (bishop 1178-1198), who became Iceland’s only saint.
2-For centuries after Bishop Þórhallsson’s death, people came on pilgrimage from all corners of Iceland to visit his relics in Skálholt.
3-During those medieval times, huge wooden cathedrals were built at Skálholt. These cathedrals drew many from across Iceland. Before the Reformation 32 Catholic Bishops sat at Skálholt.
4-During the mid 16th century, Icelanders, now under Danish rule, converted to Lutheranism.The Reformation came during turbulent times in Iceland. On November 7, 1550, Bishop Jón Arason along with his two sons, Björn and Ar, were beheaded at Skálholt. Arason who was the Bishop of Hólar had been the last remaining Catholic bishop in Iceland.
5-The translation of the Bible into Icelandic started in secrecy in a cow stall at Skálholt.
6-After the Reformation, one of the best known and most influential bishops of Skálholt was Brynjólfur Sveinsson (bishop 1639-1674), Highly respected for his learning, he collected old Icelandic manuscripts that help preserve history and the language. Under his direction, church members built a new wooden church at Skálholt, approximately the same size as the present Cathedral.
7-In all ten churches have stood at in Skálholt. Some measured larger and some smaller but all were built on the same basic foundations.
For centuries Skálholt was the actual capital of a rural society and the cultural and spiritual center of the country (together with Hólar in the North), figuring eminently in the cultural and church history. But after waning status of the bishop’s office, volcanic eruptions, a major earthquake and other disasters in the late 18th century the episcopal see and school were transferred to Reykjavík. Skálholt fell into disrepute.
In the mid-20th century Skálholt rose from ashes, due to its historical significance. The modern cathedral, consecrated in 1963, displays works of modern art, as well as for artifacts from previous churches on the site.
References:
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/skalholt-in-...
Drangurinn is a large rock composed of volcanic tuff that sits in front of Hrútafell, a cliff in the foothills west of the Eyjafjöll (volcano). Drangurinn stands between Skarðshlíð and Drangshlíð. two farms along Iceland’s Ring Road inSouth Iceland just west of Skógafoss ( a famous waterfall). An Icelandic folktale tells of a strongman named Grettir Ásmundsson who was showing off and ripped the giant boulder right out of Hrútafell cliff, which left a chasm which sits on the cliff above Skarðshlíð. Early settlers constructed buildings in the caves and overhangs in Drangurinn and the nearby cliffs. These buildings go back centuries and are a good example of ‘fornmannahús’ or ancient habitations. Habitations here may date back to the settlement period in Iceland (c. 870–c. 930). Orginally the caves may have been used has habitations. As the farms were established the buildings were used as cowsheds and sheep pens. In Icelandic folklore, elves inhabit the caves and tunnels of Drangurinn. In folk stories documented by Jón Árnason in 1862, the elves would then attend to the cows while they birthed new calves, then milked them after they gave birth. The elves would feed both the calf and the cow. The unused milk was left in a bucket for the farmer. The stories also contain other interactions between human and elves.
As can be seen in this photo the structures at Drangurinn í Drangshlíð have been modified over the years. On the left is an old stone structure with a turf roof. Behind it and to the right sits a more modern wooden structure with a corrugated steel roof coves the front of a cave in the rock. The area is protected as an historic site but some of the buildings are still used for animals or storage by the farm. With the old buildings and strange tales, this was a very interesting place to visit.
References:
www.katlageopark.com/geosites/drangurinn-i-drangshlid-2/
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/drangshlid-r...
Jón Árnason. Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur og Æfintýri. 2 vols. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1862, 1864
Christmas in Iceland is synonymous with twinkling lights, festivities, delicious food, and... fear. The fear might be a bit of an exaggeration, but Iceland has a very particular Christmas folklore, deeply rooted in local traditions for centuries! Instead of the loving Santa Claus familiar to many Western cultures, the 13 Icelandic Christmas elves are known for their mischievous antics. Their mother, Gryla, is a monstrous ogress who kidnaps and eats naughty children. A central theme common to most Icelandic holiday celebrations is meat, which was the target of the twelfth and penultimate Christmas Elf, Ketkrokur, or "Meat Thief."
Hiding wherever he could gain access to the kitchen (behind doors, under tables, in cupboards, or outside open windows), he would watch for the meat to appear. As soon as he could do so without fear of being caught, he would pull out his long hook and snatch the centerpiece of the family meal. Unlike his brother, Bjugnakraekir, who only sought smoked sausages, Ketkrokur had far less selective tastes, and would wait until the whole family was asleep before rushing to steal any kind of meat he could find.
Noël en Islande est synonyme de lumières scintillantes, de festivités, de mets délicieux et... de peur. La peur est peut-être un peu exagérée, mais l'Islande possède un folklore de Noël très particulier, ancré dans les traditions locales depuis des siècles !
Au lieu du Père Noël aimant que connaissent bien de nombreuses cultures occidentales, les 13 lutins de Noël islandais sont connus pour leurs espiègleries. Leur mère, Gryla, est une ogresse monstrueuse qui kidnappe et mange les enfants méchants. Il y a une caractéristique centrale commune à la plupart des fêtes de fin d'année en Islande et c'est la viande qui était la cible du vol du douzième et avant-dernier Lutin de Noël, Ketkrokur ou "Voleur de Viande".
Caché partout où il pouvait avoir un accès à la cuisine (derrière les portes, sous les tables, dans les placards, ou à l'extérieur des fenêtres ouvertes), il guettait ce qu'il se passait, attendant l'apparition de la viande. Dès qu'il pouvait le faire sans risque d'être capturé, il sortait son long crochet et s'emparait de la pièce maîtresse du repas familial.
Contrairement à son frère, Bjugnakraekir, qui ne cherchait que des saucisses fumées, Ketkrokur avait des goûts bien moins sélectifs, et attendait que toute la famille s'endorme avant de s'empresser de voler n'importe quelle sorte de viande qu'il pouvait trouver.
Source : guidetoiceland.is/fr/histoire-et-culture/the-icelandic-yu...
A cowhed sits in a cave under Drangurinn in south Iceland. Drangurinn is a large rock composed of volcanic tuff that sits in front of Hrútafell, a cliff in the foothills west of the Eyjafjöll (volcano). Drangurinn stands between Skarðshlíð and Drangshlíð. two farms along Iceland’s Ring Road inSouth Iceland just west of Skógafoss ( a famous waterfall). An Icelandic folktale tells of a strongman named Grettir Ásmundsson who was showing off and ripped the giant boulder right out of Hrútafell cliff, which left a chasm which sits on the cliff above Skarðshlíð. Early settlers constructed buildings in the caves and overhangs in Drangurinn and the nearby cliffs. These buildings go back centuries and are a good example of ‘fornmannahús’ or ancient habitations. Habitations here may date back to the settlement period in Iceland (c. 870–c. 930). Orginally the caves may have been used has habitations. As the farms were established the buildings were used as cowsheds and sheep pens. In Icelandic folklore, elves inhabit the caves and tunnels of Drangurinn. In folk stories documented by Jón Árnason in 1862, the elves would then attend to the cows while they birthed new calves, then milked them after they gave birth. The elves would feed both the calf and the cow. The unused milk was left in a bucket for the farmer. The stories also contain other interactions between human and elves.
As can be seen in this photo the structures at Drangurinn í Drangshlíð have been modified over the years. This structue with its corrugated steel roof looks of more recent construction than the turf covered stone houses. There was no information I could find at the site about its age. The area is protected as an historic site but some of the buildings are still used for animals or storage by the farm. With the old buildings and strange tales, this was a very interesting place to visit.
References:
www.katlageopark.com/geosites/drangurinn-i-drangshlid-2/
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/drangshlid-r...
Jón Árnason. Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur og Æfintýri. 2 vols. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1862, 1864
Minimal landskape.
Svínafellsjökull is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, the largest ice cap in Europe. It is one of the country’s most popular places for glacier hiking due to its incredible formations and excellent views.
The best way to visit Svinafellsjokull glacier would be on a self drive tour in Iceland.
kirkjufell is indeed the magic mountain of Iceland for landscape photography! let us take you here and show you the light!
The pseudocraters, also called rootless cones, form when piping hot thin-flowing molten lava flows over a wetland or boggy areas. The hot lava boils the water of the wetlands and the steam pressure causes explosions, creating clusters of pseudocraters.
Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters, formed some 2,300 years ago in the eruption of Lúdentaborgir and Þrengslaborgirwere, are protected as a natural monument in 1973 and the protected area is some 70 ha in size. (Wikipedia; guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/the-unique-p...)
Skálholtskirkja sits in a historic complex at Skálholt in South Iceland. This church was built in 1961-63 on the same basic foundation as most of the ten previous chapels and cathedrals built at the site. The church honors the historic and religious dignificance of this site, which once was the capital of Iceland and, along with Hólar to the north, its religious center. Though some of the old wooden cathedrals were larger, the new Church is similar in size to the last two.
For over 700 years Skálholt was a center of religion, culture and education in Iceland which makes it one of country´s most important historic sites. Norse settlers came to the area in the late 800s and early 900s (AD). In 1000 AD, New law mandated Christianity as the official religion of Iceland. The country’s first bishop, Ísleifur Gissurarson, ordained in 1056, made Skálholt the episcopal see of all Iceland (until another Episcopal see was created in Hólar in 1106 AD). Over the next 700 years several significant religious and cultural events would occur at Skálholt.
1- One of the most revered of the bishops residing at Skálholt duuring the middle ages was Þorlákur Þórhallsson (bishop 1178-1198), who became Iceland’s only saint.
2-For centuries after Bishop Þórhallsson’s death, people came on pilgrimage from all corners of Iceland to visit his relics in Skálholt.
3-During those medieval times, huge wooden cathedrals were built at Skálholt. These cathedrals drew many from across Iceland. Before the Reformation 32 Catholic Bishops sat at Skálholt.
4-During the mid 16th century, Icelanders, now under Danish rule, converted to Lutheranism.The Reformation came during turbulent times in Iceland. On November 7, 1550, Bishop Jón Arason along with his two sons, Björn and Ar, were beheaded at Skálholt. Arason who was the Bishop of Hólar had been the last remaining Catholic bishop in Iceland.
5-The translation of the Bible into Icelandic started in secrecy in a cow stall of Skálholt.
6-After the Reformation, one of the best known and most influential bishops of Skálholt was Brynjólfur Sveinsson (bishop 1639-1674), Highly respected for his learning, he collected old Icelandic manuscripts that help preserve history and the language. Under his direction, church members built a new wooden church at Skálholt, approximately the same size as the present Cathedral.
7-In all ten churches have stood at in Skálholt. Some measured larger and some smaller but all were built on the same basic foundations.
For centuries Skálholt was the actual capital of a rural society and the cultural and spiritual center of the country (together with Hólar in the North), figuring eminently in the cultural and church history. But after waning status of the bishop’s office, volcanic eruptions, a major earthquake and other disasters in the late 18th century the episcopal see and school were transferred to Reykjavík. Skálholt fell into disrepute.
In the mid-20th century Skálholt rose from ashes, due to its historical significance. The modern cathedral, consecrated in 1963, displays works of modern art, as well as for artifacts from previous churches on the site.
References:
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/skalholt-in-...
The world-famous Reynisfjara shore, near the village Vik in Taken before the setting sun at Myrdalur on Iceland's South Coast, widely regarded as the most impressive black-sand beach in Iceland.
Reynisfjara is a black pebble beach and features an amazing cliff of regular basalt columns resembling a rocky step pyramid, which is called Gardar. Out in the sea are the spectacularly shaped basalt sea stacks Reynisdrangar. The area has a rich birdlife, including puffins, fulmars and guillemots.
The waves at Reynisfjara are especially strong and unpredictable.
According to folklore, two trolls attempted to drag a ship to land but were turned to stone as daylight broke, turning them into the Reynisdrangar stacks, clearly visible from the beach.*
*https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/reynisfjara
A centuries old turfhouse sits against Drangurinn in South Iceland. Drangurinn is a large rock composed of volcanic tuff that sits in front of Hrútafell, a cliff in the foothills west of the Eyjafjöll (volcano). Drangurinn stands between Skarðshlíð and Drangshlíð. two farms along Iceland’s Ring Road inSouth Iceland just west of Skógafoss ( a famous waterfall). An Icelandic folktale tells of a strongman named Grettir Ásmundsson who was showing off and ripped the giant boulder right out of Hrútafell cliff, which left a chasm which sits on the cliff above Skarðshlíð. Early settlers constructed buildings in the caves and overhangs in Drangurinn and the nearby cliffs. These buildings go back centuries and are a good example of ‘fornmannahús’ or ancient habitations. Habitations here may date back to the settlement period in Iceland (c. 870–c. 930). Orginally the caves may have been used has habitations. As the farms were established the buildings were used as cowsheds and sheep pens. In Icelandic folklore, elves inhabit the caves and tunnels of Drangurinn. In folk stories documented by Jón Árnason in 1862, the elves would then attend to the cows while they birthed new calves, then milked them after they gave birth. The elves would feed both the calf and the cow. The unused milk was left in a bucket for the farmer. The stories also contain other interactions between human and elves.
Though some of the structures at Drangurinn í Drangshlíð have been modified over the years, some show few changes. This old stone structure with a turf roof sits in the front of a cave in the rock and may be one of the older structures at the site. The area is protected as an historic site but some of the buildings are still used for animals or storage by the farm. With the old buildings and strange tales, this was a very interesting place to visit.
References:
www.katlageopark.com/geosites/drangurinn-i-drangshlid-2/
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/drangshlid-r...
Jón Árnason. Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur og Æfintýri. 2 vols. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1862, 1864
The east facing side of the viewpoint on top of cliffs along Almannagjá at Hakið overlooks the Óxará (river) which flows down the center of the rift valley at Þingvellir, Iceland. Situated near the river’s banks are Þingvallabær, a farmhouse, and Þingvallakirkja, a church.
Þingvallakirkja (on the left) was the site of one of Iceland’s first churches. The original was consecrated in the 11th century not long after the Alþing (The Viking Parliament) set Christianity as the official religion of Iceland. The vote was held near the site of the church at Law Rock (Lögberg) in the Almannagjá Gorge. Over the years several churches were built here, each at very close to the same spot as their predecessor. The current wooden building dates from 1859. Inside are several bells from earlier churches, a 17th-century wooden pulpit and a painted altarpiece from 1834. Independence-era poets Jónas Hallgrímsson and Einar Benediktsson are buried in the cemetery behind the church.
The farmhouse, Þingvallabær, to the south was built for the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing in 1930 by state architect Guðjón Samúelsson. It’s now used as the park warden’s office and more importantly, the prime minister’s summer house. Behind the building the cliffs of some of the fissure associated with the east side of the rift valley can be seen.
References:
icelandroadguide.com/items/hakid/
guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/jorunnsg/ingvellir-...
notendur.hi.is/oi/geology_of_thingvellir.htm
www.thingvellir.is/en/history-nature/history/
icelandmag.is/article/9-essential-things-know-about-thing...
Strokkur is Iceland’s most visited active geyser. One of the three major attractions on the world-famous Golden Circle sightseeing route, it is usually visited alongside Gullfoss Waterfall and Þingvellir National Park.
Strokkur is found in the Geysir Geothermal Area, titled after the Great Geysir, which lent its name to all others across the world. It is the greatest active geyser on site; Geysir itself is in a period of inactivity. Strokkur erupts more regularly than Geysir ever did, blasting water to heights of around fifteen to twenty metres every five to ten minutes, although it is known to reach up to forty metres.
ttps://guidetoiceland.is
Brúarfoss ('Bridge Falls') is a relatively small waterfall compared to many of its Icelandic counterparts, but its diminutive size does nothing to take away from its staggering beauty. The glacial river Brúará falls 2-3m, ending in a U-turn at the base of the waterfall, where the river is concentrated into a deep crevice that runs through the centre of dark volcanic rock formations. This creates sky-blue rapids that almost defy the imagination—and the vistas are made all the more beautiful by the surrounding, lush green flora, which provides a stark contrast to the flowing water. Read more here: guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/bruarfoss-waterfall
這是一座建在雷克雅維克海岸線(Sæbraut Street) 上的以維京船骨架為靈感製作的雕塑，由冰島藝術家Jón Gunnar Árnason 於1990 年製作完成，有人說它是一艘代表了夢想的船，也有人說它是獻給太陽的頌詩。如果說哈爾格林姆教堂是雷克雅未克的地標，太陽航行者雕塑就是雷克雅未克海岸線上面最顯眼的標誌。因為造型獨特，加上選址很好，經常有人在The Sun Voyager 這裡拍出非常美的日落照片，如果你足夠幸運個的話，還很有可能在極光季的時候在這裡看到在夜空中飛舞的北極光。
摘自https://cn.guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/6640/iceland-capital-reykjavik-tourist-attractions
These glacial “tongues” are part of a massive glacier – Vatnajökull – which is larger than the state of Delaware.
The tongue to the far left is Skaftafell, the one left of center is Svínafell. Dead center, shrouded in mist, is Iceland’s tallest mountain, Hvaanadalshnjukur. It forms part of the crater around the glacier, Öræfajökull, which conceals a particularly violent volcano. It had a massive eruption in 1362, destroying many farms and killing an unknown number of people.
guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/hvannadalshnukur
Skaftafell, Iceland