Bifröst

Picture of Bifröst and surroundings

Þingvellir

Since the weather was so foggy while we visited Thingvellir , here are some pictures and information about Thingvellir that I collected when I visited there with my family this summer:
Trip to Þingvellir on June 27th, 2002

Deildartunguhver

Deildartunguhver thermal spring is the largest thermal spring in Iceland.
More pictures from Deildartunguhver

Grábrók

Grábrók Vulcanic Sone

The Grábrók crater was formed in a fissure eruption less than 3000 yars ago. It is 173 m a.s.l. Grábrók is the largest of three craters on a 600 m long fissure.

Reykholt - Snorralaug

Snorri Sturluson is said to be Iceland's greatest saga writer. The sagas are a body of literature written in the 13th century, and are notable in that they were written in Icelandic rather than in Latin, as was the custom in Europe at the time. In addition to his writing, he was elected Law-speaker of the Althing, and was an ambassador to Norway. For his personal life, he married a wealthy woman for her money and the political power of her family, had several concubines, and at some point moved in with the richest woman in Iceland, all of which combined to make him the richest man in Iceland.

Reykholt is located in the middle of the valley Reykholtsdalur in Borgarfjörður, western Iceland.The history of the site is firmly linked to the historian and politician Snorri Sturluson who came into possession of the farm in 1206 and lived there on and off until his dramatic slaying there in 1241.

Reykholt is frequently mentioned in Sturlunga saga, compiled in about 1300 from a number of contemporary sagas covering the period 1120-1264, and therefore including Snorri´s period at Reykholt.

Snorralaug (Snorri´s pool) is one of a few constructions preserved in Iceland from medieval times. It is built of hand-hewn lava-rocks and was connected to the farm-houses by a tunnel.

The Book of Settlement mentions the existence of a natural warm pool at Reykholt. The present one supposedly dates back to historian Snorri Sturluson's time in the 13th century. A tunnel gave easy access to it from the farmhouse, and could also be used as an emergency exit in case of attack.

Legend has it that the tunnel led to the cellar where Snorri tried to hide from his enemies, Earl Gissur's men, before being slain by them on 23 September 1241.