Things to see: Þingvellir National Park

Situated on the northern shore of lake Þingvallavatn, Þingvellir is the national shrine of Iceland. It is, for one, a key location in Icelandic history as the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled there in 930 AD. Þingvellir has for this reason been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Besides being a location of historical significance, Þingvellir is also protected as a national park due to its unique geology and natural features. Almannagjá is a canyon formed between two tectonic plates, a visual representation of continental drift.

The waters in and around Þingvellir are a popular destination for fishing as well as scuba diving. The constant, regular influx of groundwater into Þingvallavatn, the biggest lake in Iceland, together with a very varied habitat, has created good conditions for fish and other life forms in the lake. As a result, both the brown trout and char in Þingvallavatn are amongst the largest to be found in the world.

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