Snæfellsnes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Snæfellsnes peninsula is situated to the west of Borgarfjörður in the west of Iceland.
It has been named Iceland in Miniature, as many national sights can be found in the area[citation needed], including the Snæfellsjökull volcano, regarded as one of the symbols of Iceland. With its height of 1446m, it is the highest mountain on the peninsula and has a glacier (jökull) at its peak. The volcano can be seen on clear days from Reykjavík, a distance of about 120 km away. The mountain is also known as the setting of the novel Journey to the Center of the Earth by the French author Jules Verne.
It is one of the main settings in the Laxdœla saga, and was the birthplace of the first West Norse member of the Varangian Guard, Bolli Bollasson. Other historical people who lived in the area according to the saga include Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir, Bolli Þorleiksson and Snorri the Goði.
People believing in esoteric think the volcano to be the center of a special field of powers.[citation needed]
The area surrounding Snæfellsjökull has been designated a national park by the government of Iceland.
Local fishing villages and small towns on the northern shore of Snæfellsnes include Rif, Ólafsvík, Grundarfjörður, Stykkishólmur and Búðardalur.
Near Hellissandur, lies the tallest construction in Western Europe, the Longwave Radio Mast at Hellissandur.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Information on the national park
- Photo Kirkjufell near Grundarfjörður
- Photo Berserkjahraun
- Photo: On the road from Stykkisholmur to Grundarfjörður
