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µþúð¾±°ù

The Golden Circle


Straddling both sides of the Öxará river are the ruins of various temporary camps called ²úúð¾±°ù (literally 'booths'). These stone foundations were covered during Alþingi sessions and were where parliament-goers camped. They also acted like stalls at today’s music festivals, selling beer, food and vellum to the assembled crowds. Most of the remains date from the 17th and 18th centuries; the largest, and one of the oldest, is µþ¾±²õ°ì³Ü±è²¹²úúð, which belonged to the bishops of Iceland and is located north of the church.


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1. Þ¾±²Ô²µ±¹²¹±ô±ô²¹°ì¾±°ù°ìÂá²¹

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Behind the Þ¾±²Ô²µ±¹²¹±ô±ô²¹²úæ°ù farmhouse, Þ¾±²Ô²µ±¹²¹±ô±ô²¹°ì¾±°ù°ìÂá²¹ is one of Iceland’s first churches. The original was consecrated in the 11th century, but the current…

2. Þ¾±²Ô²µ±¹²¹±ô±ô²¹²úæ°ù

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The little farmhouse in the bottom of the rift, Þ¾±²Ô²µ±¹²¹±ô±ô²¹²úæ°ù was built for the 1000th anniversary of the Alþing in 1930 by state architect Guðjón…

3. Alþingi Site

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Near the dramatic Almannagjá fault and fronted by a boardwalk is the Lögberg (Law Rock), where the Alþingi (Parliament) convened annually. This was where…

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The world’s oldest parliament, Althingi (pronounced ál-thingk-ee; also called Alþing) was uniquely situated at this monumental site where two tectonic…

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