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Þingvellir National Park

Near Hveragerði · Iceland

Background

World Heritage since
2004
Type of site
Cultural
The Althing founded
930

Þingvellir is the national park where the Althing, an open-air assembly representing the whole of Iceland, was established in 930 and continued to meet until 1798. UNESCO says that for two weeks a year the assembly set laws, seen as a covenant between free men, and settled disputes; the property holds fragments of around 50 turf-and-stone booths, with 10th-century remains thought to lie underground.

The park lies about 40 km north-east of Reykjavík in a rift valley on the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates, with Þingvallavatn, Iceland's largest natural lake, to the south. It was founded in 1930 for the Althing's thousandth anniversary. Wikivoyage says there are no real visible remains at the parliament site, but signposts and the visitor centre at Hakið, above the Almannagjá fault, bring it alive.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. c. 870–930Settlers arrive from Norway, Ireland and the Scottish islands
  2. 930The Althing first meets at Þingvellir
  3. 1262–1264Iceland submits to the Norwegian crown and the Commonwealth ends
  4. 1798The last session is held at Þingvellir
  5. 1930The national park is founded for the thousandth anniversary
  6. 2004Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    The Althing Site
    The assembly fields where the laws were read; signposts mark what is no longer visible.
  2. 2
    Almannagjá
    The great fault, with a footpath down from the Hakið viewpoint.
  3. 3
    Hakið Visitor Centre
    An interactive exhibition on the history and the geology.
  4. 4
    Þingvallavatn
    Iceland's largest natural lake, at the foot of the valley.
  5. 5
    The Deserted Farms
    Abandoned farms in the lava field, reached by easy hiking routes.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

An Hour from Reykjavík
Wikivoyage: drive route 1 via Mosfellsbær, then route 36 through the park; summer buses leave the BSÍ terminal in the morning and return late afternoon.
Fissure Edges
The rock near the edge of the fissures can be unstable; do not lean over, and watch children.
Beyond the Fault
The hiking routes to the deserted farms show a quieter side of a much visited park.
Start at Hakið
The visitor centre sits by the viewpoint at the top of Almannagjá, the natural start of a visit.
Parking Is Paid
Parking at the park costs money. Facilities on site include a cafe, gift shop and bathrooms.

The Assembly Fields

Not yet in a GoGo guide

  1. 09:00
    Hakið Visitor Centre45 min
    The exhibition and the viewpoint.
  2. 10:00
    Almannagjá and the Althing Site2 hrs
    Down the fault to the parliament fields.
  3. 13:00
    Walk to the Deserted Farms2.5 hrs
    Easy trails across the lava field.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Jun–Aug. Freezing days in Oct–Apr. Rainy season Sep, Dec–Jan.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Jan (160 mm), driest Jun (76 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
Surtsey is 108 km away off the south coast and Vatnajökull National Park 203 km to the east.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 1152 · Wikipedia: Þingvellir · Wikivoyage: Þingvellir National Park (CC BY-SA 4.0) · UNESCO listing