Þingvellir ('Parliament Plains') is a UNESCO World Heritage national park 45 kilometres east of Reykjavik that combines geological drama with foundational Icelandic history. The site is the meeting place of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates — you can literally walk through the crack between continents, with the plates moving apart at about 2 centimetres per year — and was the location of Iceland's founding parliament, the Alþingi, which met here annually from 930 AD to 1798.
The Law Rock (Lögberg), where the speaker recited all of Iceland's laws from memory every three summers, is marked by a flagpole. The ravine of Almannagjá (a dramatic rift valley formed by the plate separation) is the park's most spectacular geological feature, and the crystal-clear Silfra fissure in the park's southern lake (Þingvallavatn) is one of the world's most famous cold-water dives. Þingvellir is the first stop on the Golden Circle route.
Verified Facts
The Alþingi met at Þingvellir annually from 930 to 1798 AD
The tectonic plates separate at about 2 cm per year
Þingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Silfra fissure is a world-class cold-water dive site
Get walking directions
Þingvellir National Park, Iceland
