GRAY LINE ICELAND // Points of Interest // Þingvellir National Park

Þingvellir (English: Thingvellir), is a place in Bláskógarbyggð in southwestern Iceland, near the peninsula of Reykjanes and the Hengill volcanic area. The Icelandic name is made up of the words "Þing", meaning 'parliament', and "vellir", meaning 'meadows'. Þingvellir is a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. Þingvellir National Park was founded in 1930 to protect the remains of the parliament site and was later expanded to protect natural phenomena in the surrounding area. Þingvellir National Park was the first national park in Iceland and was decreed "a protected national shrine for all Icelanders, the perpetual property of the Icelandic nation under the preservation of parliament, never to be sold or mortgaged."

Parliament or Alþingi was established at Þingvellir in 930 AD and remained there until 1789. Þingvellir is the site of a rift valley and home to Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland.

Þingvellir became a national park in 1928 due to its historical importance, as well as the special tectonic and volcanic environment.

The continental drift between the North American and Eurasian Plates can be clearly seen in the cracks or faults which are traversing the region, the biggest one, Almannagjá, being a veritable canyon. This also causes the often-measurable earthquakes in the area.

Some of the rifts are full of surprisingly clear water. One, Nikulásargjá, is better known as Peningagjá (lit. "coin fissure"), as it is littered with coins at its bottom. After being bridged in 1907 for the arrival of King Frederick VIII of Denmark, visitors began to throw coins in the fissure, a tradition based on European legends.

Þingvellir is situated on the northern shore of Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake of Iceland. The river Öxará traverses the national park and forms a waterfall at the Almannagjá, called Öxarárfoss. Together with the waterfall Gullfoss and the geysers of Haukadalur, Þingvellir is part of the most famous sights of Iceland, the Golden Circle.

Þingvellir is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Source: Wikipedia

We visit Þingvellir National Park on the following tours:

AH11 Gullfoss & Geysir Afternoon
AH12 The Golden Circle Classic
AH13 The Golden Circle Evening Tour
AH22 Reykjanes Peninsula and Gullfoss & Geysir Afternoon
AH23 Greater Area Reykjavík Sightseeing and Gullfoss & Geysir Afternoon
AH24 The Blue Lagoon and Gullfoss & Geysir Afternoon
AH27 The Viking Horse Riding and Gullfoss & Geysir Afternoon
AH62 The Highland Road
AH63 The Silver Circle
AH64 The Highland Road and Golden Circle Evening Tour
AH65 The Platinum Circle and Golden Circle Evening Tour
AH70 DPV Scooter Diving
AH71 Magnificent Fissure Diving
AH72 Magnificent Fissure Snorkeling
AH74 Whale Watching and Gullfoss & Geysir Afternoon
AH140 Golden Circle Super Jeep Tour