Geysir Area

The Geysir area in Haukadalur was protected as a natural monument on June 17^th, 2020.

The Geysir area is one of the most renowned hot spring areas in the world and one of the few that have been known for centuries. Numerous hot springs and pools are in the area, the best known of which are the geysers Geysir and Strokkur. The area also has extensive encrustations. The place name Geysir has lent its name to geysers in many foreign languages, in addition to which encrustations are often called “geyserite”. Mt. Laugarfell (187 m) rises up from the hot spring area and is a rhyolite intrusion where many geological formations can be found. The plant species blue-water speedwell grows in the area covered by the proposal, a species which is on the threatened list. The area also has cultural remains that are a testament to life in the old days, including the “king’s stones”, relics of the visits of three Danish kings to Iceland.

The aim of the protection of the natural monument is to promote the preservation of unique geological formations, hot springs, micro-organisms and unique vegetation in the hot spring area, which is singular on both a national and worldwide scale. The aim of the protection, moreover, is to ensure that the area can be used for educational purposes and scientific study, as the educational and scientific value of the area is high, both on a national and worldwide scale. The protection promotes the area as suitable for outdoor activities and tourism for the long term and ensures that it is prepared to receive the number of visitors who visit the area each year. It also promotes the reclamation of disrupted natural surroundings and its restoration to the extent possible.

The area covers an area of 1.2 km².

Map of the area