Goðafoss waterfall

Goðafoss is a spectacular waterfall in North Iceland. Goðafoss translates to waterfall of the gods. The waterfall is 12 meter high and about 30 meters wide. It is situated close to the main circular highway, close to the junction with the Sprengisandur highland route. The waterfall is in the glacial river as well as spring fed Skjálfandafljót which runs through Bárðardalur Valley and is among the largest waterfalls in the country. The river is about 180 kilometers long and takes its source in Vatnajökull and Tungnafessljökull Glaciers as well as the highland plateau in the central highlands and drains into Skjálfandaflói Bay.

The Waterfall of the Gods

Goðafoss is involved in one of the most important event in Icelandic history. This event is the conversion from heathendom to christianity in the year 1000. A law speaker in Iceland called Þorgeir Þorkelsson had the task of deciding whether the Icelandic people were to convert to to christianity. Despite being a heathen priest himself he decides that the people of Iceland were to convert to christianity. After returning from parliament it´s said that Þorgeir threw his heathen god icons into the river at the waterfall in a symbolic act of the conversion. This is how the waterfall got the name Goðafoss or The waterfall of the Gods.

Access

Access to the waterfall is good and is a short and easy walk from the parking lot to the observation platforms that have been made for safety and preservation purposes but the vegetation is fragile around the waterfall.