National park · Iceland · South Iceland

Thingvellir National Park

A rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pull apart, and the site of Iceland's first parliament.

UNESCO World Heritage Free to enter about 2.5 h

For storytellers

Why Thingvellir National Park matters

Þingvellir is where history and geology meet. The valley sits in a rift between two tectonic plates, and you can walk through the Almannagjá gorge between its walls. In the Viking age, Icelanders gathered here to make laws at an open-air assembly, and the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Clear lakes and waterfalls add to the beauty, and snorkelling the Silfra fissure is a famous adventure.

Talking points

  • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • An open-air parliament met here in the Viking age.
  • The tectonic rift is visible in the landscape.

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