Snæfellsjökull, Glacier and volcano in Snæfellsbær, Iceland
Snæfellsjökull is a glacier-covered volcano on the western tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Snæfellsbær, Iceland, rising to roughly 1446 meters (about 4740 feet) above sea level. The summit bears an ice cap that changes its appearance with the seasons and can be seen from parts of Reykjavík on clear days.
The volcanic system began forming roughly 700,000 years ago through repeated eruptions during the ice age. Its last known eruption happened around the year 200, sending lava flows toward the coast and shaping parts of the present landscape.
Jules Verne selected this location as the entry point to underground realms in his 1864 novel Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Reaching the summit requires mountaineering equipment and an experienced guide because of crevasses and rapid weather shifts. Visitors who prefer not to climb can walk trails around the base that offer views of the cone and surrounding lava fields.
In the 1960s astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin trained here before their moon mission because NASA considered the lava terrain similar to lunar geology. Jules Verne also chose this spot as the starting point for his fictional journey to the center of the Earth in his 1864 novel, drawing readers and science fiction enthusiasts ever since.
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