Þingvellir, called Thingvellir in English, was the location of the Alþing, Iceland's annual parliament, from the year 930 until its final meeting at Þingvellir in 1798. Since 1881, the parliament has been held in Alþingishúsið, a building in Reykjavík, Iceland's capital.

Today, Þingvellir is a national park in the municipality of Bláskógabyggð, in southwestern Iceland, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Reykjavík. The area is historically, culturally, and geologically important and is one of Iceland's most visited places. It is located in a rift valley that sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. To the south of Þingvellir lies Þingvallavatn, Iceland's largest natural lake.

Þingvellir National Park was established in 1930 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing. The park was later expanded to protect the natural features in the surrounding area. In 2004, it was named a World Heritage Site.

Toponymy

The name Þingvellir comes from the Old Norse word Þingvǫllr, which means "assembly fields." This name is made from two parts: "þing," meaning "assembly," and "vǫllr," meaning "field." In English, similar words are "thing" and "weald," which come from Old English words meaning "assembly" and "rule." The site is named after Alþing, which was Iceland's national parliament. Alþing was first created at Þingvellir in 930 and met there until 1798. A "thing" was a type of meeting used for making decisions in Germanic societies, and this tradition still exists in some way in many places in Northern Europe today.

Although the name Þingvellir is plural, the older version Þingvǫllr is singular. Today, the singular form Þingvöllur is sometimes used.

The name is most often spelled as "Thingvellir" in English. It may also appear as "Tingvellir," "Thingvalla," or "Tingvalla" in other languages. Sometimes it is spelled "Pingvellir," but the letter "p" does not match the Old Norse letter "þ" (thorn), which is pronounced like the "th" in "thirst."

Other places with similar names include Dingwall and Tingwall in Scotland, Thingwall in England, Tynwald on the Isle of Man, Dinklage in Germany, and Tingvoll in Norway. These names share the same root and meaning.

History

In 1928, Iceland made Þingvellir a national park to protect the area where the country's parliament once met. This became Iceland's first national park. The park was declared "a protected national shrine for all Icelanders, the permanent property of the Icelandic nation under the care of parliament, never to be sold or mortgaged."

According to the Book of Settlements (Landnámabók), Iceland's settlement began in 874 when a Norwegian leader named Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island. Over the next centuries, people from Norse and Celtic backgrounds settled in Iceland. At first, small local meetings were held, but as the population grew, people needed a larger gathering place. The descendants of Ingólfur, who controlled southwest Iceland, became the most powerful family in the country. Other leaders wanted a general assembly to balance their power.

Grímur Geitskör was chosen to find support and a location for the assembly. Around the same time, the owner of Bláskógar (now called Þingvellir) was found guilty of murder. His land was taken and made public for use during the assembly, including building temporary homes, using the forest for firewood, and grazing horses. Þingvellir was chosen because it was accessible to many parts of Iceland. The farthest a chieftain had to travel was 17 days from the eastern part of the country, where mountains and glaciers made travel difficult.

The founding of Iceland's parliament is considered the beginning of the nation. The first meetings of the parliament in 930 helped create a shared culture and identity for Icelanders. Þingvellir played a central role in Iceland's history and its story closely matches the history of the Icelandic Commonwealth.

From 930 until 1271, the Alþingi (parliament) at Þingvellir was Iceland's main lawmaking and judicial body. The Lögberg, or Law Rock, was the center of the Alþingi and a place for speeches. A leader called the Lawspeaker, chosen for three years, presided over the meetings and recited the laws from memory. Before laws were written, the Lawspeaker repeated them every summer for three years. The start and end of the assembly were announced at the Lögberg, where important decisions, calendars, and legal matters were shared. Anyone at the assembly could speak on important issues from the Lögberg.

The Law Council acted as both parliament and the highest court. Laws were made and approved there, and legal rulings were decided. The Law Council also chose members of the Fifth Court (a type of higher court), the Lawspeaker, and helped elect the bishop. Unlike the Alþingi, the Law Council was a closed group with only certain people, such as chieftains and their representatives, having full rights. However, everyone at the assembly could watch and listen to the Law Council's work.

From early times until the 15th century, the Law Council met at Neðri-Vellir on the east side of Öxará River. When the river changed course around 1500, the council moved to an island in the river. In 1594, the Law Council was relocated to the base of the ancient Law Rock, where it stayed until the Alþingi moved away in 1798.

The Alþingi was Iceland's main lawmaking and judicial body during the Commonwealth, until 1271. Chieftains and individuals handled daily decisions. This system worked well as long as power was balanced, but problems arose when the balance was broken.

In the final years of the Commonwealth, conflicts between chieftain families led to Iceland coming under Norwegian rule. Under this new system, executive power grew stronger, while legislative and judicial power stayed with the Alþingi at first. Over time, this power was taken over by Norwegian and later Danish rulers. In 1662, the King of Denmark became the absolute ruler of Iceland.

Þingvellir was the heart of Icelandic culture. During the Commonwealth, thousands of people from across Iceland gathered there each year. They built temporary homes with walls of turf and rock and roofs made of cloth, staying for two weeks during the assembly. No permanent buildings existed at Þingvellir except for a farm and later two churches.

While the main purpose of visiting was to attend the assembly, people came for many other reasons. Merchants, craftsmen, and entertainers sold goods and performed, and ale-makers brewed drinks. News from distant places was shared, and games and feasts were held. Young people made plans, and important leaders discussed matters of law. Workers searched for jobs, and others asked for help. Þingvellir was a place for all Icelanders and helped shape the language and literature that remain important today.

In the 19th century, Þingvellir became a symbol of Icelandic nationalism. Icelandic political scientist Birgir Hermannsson said, "Þingvellir can be compared to a church or building that serves as a place for national rituals and gatherings."

Bjarni Benediktsson, Iceland's prime minister, died in a fire at a government summer house in Þingvellir on July 10, 1970. His wife and grandson also died in the fire.

Geology

Þingvellir is famous for its unique tectonic and volcanic features in a rift valley. The slow movement of the North American and Eurasian Plates is visible in the cracks and faults across the area. The largest crack, Almannagjá, is a deep canyon. This movement also causes earthquakes that can be felt in the region.

Some of the rifts contain clear water. One, Nikulásargjá, had a bridge built for the visit of King Frederik VIII of Denmark in 1907. Visitors began throwing coins into the fissure from the bridge, following a tradition from European stories. Over time, the bottom of the rift filled with shiny coins, and it is now called Peningagjá, or "coin fissure."

Þingvellir is located on the northern side of Þingvallavatn, Iceland's largest natural lake. The river Öxará flows through the national park and creates a waterfall at Almannagjá, known as Öxarárfoss. On the lake's northern shore, the Silfra fissure is a popular place for diving and snorkeling.

Þingvellir was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its cultural importance. It might also be recognized for its geological features in the future, as there is ongoing discussion about a nomination that includes other sites along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, such as Pico Island.

Along with the waterfall Gullfoss and the geysers at Haukadalur, Þingvellir is part of a group of Iceland's most famous attractions, called the Golden Circle.

Art

Þingvellir has inspired many Icelandic painters, including Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval and Ásgrímur Jónsson. The National Gallery of Iceland holds more than 150 paintings by Ásgrímur Jónsson that show Þingvellir. Artists were drawn to Þingvellir because of its natural beauty and its location near Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. This made it easier and cheaper for artists to visit.

Tourism

Þingvellir National Park is a popular place for tourists and is one of the three main attractions along the Golden Circle. A visitor center is located there, where people can learn about the park's history and natural features. Another information center is near the camping areas. The park has hiking trails, such as the Execution Trail and the nearby Leggjabrjótur [ˈlɛcːaˌprjouːtʏr̥]. Scuba diving is also popular at Silfra Lake because the movement of tectonic plates has made the lake wide enough for divers to see very clearly.

Related places

• Gulating was one of the first Norwegian law-making groups and is now a law court in western Norway.
• Jamtamót was the historical law-making group of Jämtland.
• Løgting is the parliament of the Faroe Islands, and Tinganes is where the Faroese government is located.
• Tynwald is the legislature of the Isle of Man. Its name comes from Þingvellir, which shares the same meaning.

• Dingwall is a royal burgh in the Scottish Highlands.
• Thingwall is a village in Wirral, England.
• Tingwall is a parish in Shetland.
• Tingwall is a small village and harbor in Orkney.
• Tingvoll Municipality is an area in Norway.
• Thingvalla Township in North Dakota, U.S., was named after Þingvellir and is one of the state's earliest Icelandic settlements.

• Gough and Inaccessible Islands are located in the South Atlantic.
• Pico Island is part of the Azores.

Related things

The Thingvalla Line was a Danish shipping company that operated from 1879 to 1898. It was named after Þingvellir. At its busiest time, the company had ten ships in its fleet. One of these ships was called the S/S Thingvalla, which was launched in 1873. The company also operated four other ships with names from Iceland: the S/S Geiser, the S/S Island, and two ships named the S/S Hekla.