Hekla

The 1491-meter-high Hekla rises from the landscape with its elongated ridge structure and multiple craters along a 5.5-kilometer volcanic fissure.

The volcano's recorded activity began in 1104, with subsequent eruptions occurring more than 20 times, including a notable event in 1947 that produced a 30-kilometer-high ash cloud.

Medieval European texts labeled Hekla as the Gateway to Hell, while Norse traditions connected the mountain to gatherings of supernatural entities.

The Hekla Center at Leirubakki Farm presents geological information and hiking routes, though visitors need guidance due to the volcano's unpredictable eruption patterns.

Hekla's eruptions generate distinctive geological materials, including basalt, andesite, and dacite, while producing ten percent of Iceland's total tephra over the last millennium.

Location: Rangárþing ytra

Elevation above the sea: 1,491 m

Made from material: basalt, basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite

GPS coordinates: 63.99222,-19.66583

Latest update: May 28, 2025 18:23