Öxarárfoss
The waterfall, Öxarárfoss, in Þingvellir National Park, Iceland is located where the Öxará (river) flows over the Almannagjá (cliff). A small, clear blue pool sits at the base of the 13m (44ft) and 6m (20ft) wide waterfalls. As seen in the photo, visitors climb on the rocks of basalt around the pool.
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. The ravines like Almannagjá have walls composed of basalt, a volcanic rock that cooled from lava flows that erupted out of near by fissures about 2,000 years ago.
Þingvellir is where the first Icelandic parliament, Alþing, was founded in 930 AD. For many years Icelanders traveled from all over the country to meet at Þingvellir and pass laws, voice opinions, give trials, and even battle with each other. Öxarárfoss is part of the area’s rich history. Legend and geological evidence suggest thet the early Vikings divirted the Öxarár in order to provide water to the meeting site, That diversion took the river over the cliff at Almannagjá creating Öxarárfoss.
References:
notendur.hi.is/oi/geology_of_thingvellir.htm
Öxarárfoss
The waterfall, Öxarárfoss, in Þingvellir National Park, Iceland is located where the Öxará (river) flows over the Almannagjá (cliff). A small, clear blue pool sits at the base of the 13m (44ft) and 6m (20ft) wide waterfalls. As seen in the photo, visitors climb on the rocks of basalt around the pool.
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. The ravines like Almannagjá have walls composed of basalt, a volcanic rock that cooled from lava flows that erupted out of near by fissures about 2,000 years ago.
Þingvellir is where the first Icelandic parliament, Alþing, was founded in 930 AD. For many years Icelanders traveled from all over the country to meet at Þingvellir and pass laws, voice opinions, give trials, and even battle with each other. Öxarárfoss is part of the area’s rich history. Legend and geological evidence suggest thet the early Vikings divirted the Öxarár in order to provide water to the meeting site, That diversion took the river over the cliff at Almannagjá creating Öxarárfoss.
References:
notendur.hi.is/oi/geology_of_thingvellir.htm