Gullfoss waterfall

Gullfoss waterfall is one of the most visited points on the geographical map of Iceland. This amazing country is known all over the world. The nature here is incredibly beautiful. In addition to valleys shrouded in green velvet, Iceland is associated with waterfalls and hot springs. Gullfoss occupies a special place among them.

A little history

Gullfoss waterfall is surrounded by legends. One of them says that at the beginning of the 20th century this piece of land belonged to one man. He had a daughter. It was planned to build a power station on this site. As a sign of her protest against this plan, a girl spoke out who was ready to commit suicide and throw herself off a cliff. The father could not allow such an outcome of events, so the amazing miracle of nature still remains untouched.

In honor of the girl, a monument was erected, which was fixed on the top of the rock. All visiting guests have the opportunity to enjoy the view of the beautiful Gullfoss waterfall. By the way, if you translate the word from Icelandic, it means “golden waterfall.”

Description of Gullfoss waterfall

Its sources originate from the longest river in the country, Khvitau. It carries meltwater from the Langjökull glacier. When the sun rises, the peaks of the glacier can be seen even from the parking lot. The river flows along the valley until it reaches a rocky crevice where it flows. In terms of the volume of falling water, the figure reaches 100 cubic meters per second. In the summer, this figure reaches 130. When a flood occurs, then all 2000 cubic meters.

Gullfoss Waterfall is the deepest waterfall in Iceland. It is also one of the most powerful waterfalls in the entire European territory. Its main highlight is the cascades, which are located perpendicular to each other. The height of the first stage is 11 meters, and the second ─ 21 meters. There is an observation deck near the first ledge. It offers a beautiful view of the entire waterfall.

To get to this site, you need to go down from the parking lot along the gorge along the path. It is necessary to take into account that this path is very slippery due to water splashes flying onto it. When the sun is warm and shining, you can see a rainbow over the gorge. They say that everyone who has been to Gullfoss waterfall has never regretted their trip to Iceland.