ДомойDestinationsEldgjá Canyon: It looks like a place on another planet, but it’s...

Eldgjá Canyon: It looks like a place on another planet, but it’s a real «fire canyon» on Earth!


Eldgjá Canyon is one of the main attractions of the Icelandic Highlands. It was formed after the massive eruption of volcano in 934: up to 18 cubic kilometers of lava poured from the ground. Lava flow reached up to 800 square kilometers.

Eldgjá
Photo: By Andreas Tille (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo: By Borvan53 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo: By Илья Григорик, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The depth of the canyon in some places reaches up to 270 meters, and the width is up to 600 meters. This is one of the biggest cracks in Iceland, formed as a result of a volcanic eruption.

Photo: indigoMood / flickr (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
Photo: indigoMood / flickr (CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Photo: By Borvan53 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The canyon was discovered in 1893 by by Þorvaldur Thoroddsen, an Icelandic geologist and geographer.

Photo:
jackmac34 / pixabay
(Pixabay License)
Photo: By Borvan53 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo: By Borvan53 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

In the northern part of the canyon there is the waterfall named Ófærufoss, which takes its sourse in one of the rivers. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. Previously, a natural bridge passed over it, but in 1993 it collapsed due to the pressure of the large amount of water formed from the melting of ice.

Photo: By Natale Carioni (originally posted to Flickr as Eldgjá), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Photo: Leonard S Jacobs / flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0 DEED)
Photo: By Gummao (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

It is quite difficult to reach the canyon. Visits are allowed only from the middle of June up to the end of September. In winter mountain roads are closed. But once you get there, you will get unforgettable impressions!

Photo: indigoMood / flickr (CC BY 2.0 DEED)
Photo: By Borvan53 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo: By Borvan53 (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

How would you rate this place?

[Total: 0 Average: 0]

Eldgjá Canyon on map:

Exit mobile version