Thingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage site, in addition to being a National Park in Iceland. Thingvellir was the site of open air parliamentary assembly (or Althing) of Iceland, which was held there annually from around 930 AD to 1798.
Thingvellir National Park is located in an active volcanic area, east of Reykjavík. Its best-defined feature is a major rift, which has produced dramatic fissures and cliffs between the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. The National Park is enclosed by a varied belt of mountains on three sides, and Lake Thingvallavatn lies at its southern end.
Christianity was adopted in Iceland around the year 1000, and the church below occupies the same site that the earliest churches were built. This building was consecrated in 1859, and the spire contains three bells, with the most recent made in 1944 to ring in Iceland’s independence.
Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, and is the most northernmost capital city in the world, at 64°08′ – less than 200 miles from the Arctic Circle. It’s a very walkable city, with a lively arts scene. The Hallgrimskirkja is a landmark in downtown Reykjavik, and an excellent place to get a true bird’s eye view of the city from the tower.
You can see a 360° view of the city from the four sides of the tower, and it’s worth the wait for the elevator. The city has so many colors on its roofs and walls, and the tower is the best way to appreciate how colorful the city is.
Of course there was a rainbow visible too! Not only did we see a rainbow from the tower, but one of the streets is painted in a rainbow, and at least one of the buildings.
If you do plan a visit, be sure to pack a good waterproof jacket and pants, because you never know when the weather is going to change up on you. In the photo above, we were pelted with sleet, but less than 5 minutes later, it stopped and the sun returned.
I hope to go back to Iceland one day to see more of the country. I would allow at least 10 days to make a trip around the island – more if spending any time exploring the fjords in northwestern Iceland.
Church of One 