Svartifoss (
Icelandic for "black waterfall", ) is a waterfall in
Skaftafell
Skaftafell () is a preservation area in Öræfi, southeast Iceland. It was once a major farm, later being named a national park. Originally known as Skaftafell National Park, it was subsequently joined together with other nearby regions to form t ...
in
Vatnajökull National Park
Vatnajökull National Park ( is, Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður ) is one of three national parks in Iceland. It encompasses all of Vatnajökull glacier and extensive surrounding areas. These include the national parks previously existing at Skaftafel ...
in
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
, and is one of the most popular sights in the park. It is surrounded by dark
lava columns, which gave rise to its name.
The base of this waterfall is noteworthy for its sharp rocks. New hexagonal column sections break off faster than the falling water wears down the edges.
These basalt columns have provided inspiration for Icelandic
architects
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, most visibly in the
Hallgrímskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja (, ''Church of Hallgrímur'') is a Lutheran (Church of Iceland) parish church in Reykjavík, Iceland. At tall, it is the largest church in Iceland and among the tallest structures in the country. Known for its distinctively cur ...
church in
Reykjavík
Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a po ...
,
and also the National Theatre.
Gallery
Svartifoss July 2014.JPG, Svartifoss in summer
Waterfall-svartifoss.jpg, Bulb
Svartifoss winter.jpg, Long exposure photograph of the Svartifoss waterfall
References
External links
Information about hiking routes in Skaftafell, including Svartifoss.
See also
*
List of columnar basalts in Iceland
Columnar jointed volcanic rocks exist in many places on Earth. Perhaps the most famous basalt lava flow in the world is the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, in which the vertical joints form polygonal columns and give the impression of having ...
*
List of waterfalls in Iceland
Iceland is unusually suited for waterfalls (Icelandic: s. ''foss,'' pl. ''fossar''). This island country has a north Atlantic climate that produces frequent rain and snow and a near-Arctic location that produces large glaciers, whose summer mel ...
{{Iceland-geo-stub
Columnar basalts in Iceland
Waterfalls of Iceland