a small trail leads to the falls
the falls are impressive
down stream the hamlet of Fossholl
Just south of the Ringroad near the hamlet Fossholl you will find one of the most famous waterfalls of Iceland. Godafoss itself
is impressive with a 12 meters drop over a length of 30 meters, but its fame comes from history:
Around 1000
AD,
the king of Norway was pressing Iceland to convert to Christianity. After lively debates during the annualAlthingi at Thingvellir Law Speaker Thorgeir Ljósvetningagodi decreed that all Icelanders should become Christians, but those
who liked to practice the old heathen rites could do so in private.
On his way back to his homestead Thorgeir publicly threw
all his heathen amulets in the waterfall to show his conversion to Christianity. Whatever
he did in private is not known. A wise man indeed, read his story here.
the board explains (part of) the story of Godafoss
