Thingvellir is a historic site and national park in Iceland. The park is situated on a rift valley created by the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is known for the Alþing (Althing), the site of Iceland's parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries.
Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site of immense historical and geological significance.
Thingvellir National Park
Thingvellir National Park
Thingvellir National Park
Thingvellir National Park, Geologically, this is a spectacular rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are visibly pulling apart, creating a dramatic fissure offering stunning natural beauty.
This is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates diverge and are visible above sea level in Iceland, offering unique walking experiences. We strolled through the Almannagia gorge which is a dramatic rift marking the boundary as the plates slowly pull apart.
We walked through this impressive, deep, and wide fissure, observing the dramatic evidence of the continuous tectonic plate movement that shapes Iceland's landscape.
Thingvellir National Park
The ridge sits atop the Icelandic mantle plume, which creates extra volcanic material permitting the rift to be above sea level.
Snorrabud is the founding location of Iceland's national parliment, the Appingi which was established in 930 AD and met there annually until 1798.
Farmers and chieftains would stay during the two-week summer assembly. It was not only a political center but also a cultural and social hub for the nation's early history.
Records suggest a number of wooden frames for dwellings were constructed on stone foundations across the assembly plains.
This area is consideredd the foundation of Icelandic national identity and culture.
The plates are slowly pulling apart at a rate of about 1 inch per year. This ongoing separation creates the unique landscape. Even the area around the fissure is beautiful.
Thingvellir National Park