25º
24º
23º
22º
21º
N
O
20º
R
W
19º
E
G
I
18º
A
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17º
S
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16º
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13º
A THE ARCTIC HENGE This neo-pagan construction was started in 1996, in which 72 stone blocks are positioned in accordance with the midnight sun visible in the summer. While it has not yet been completed, those who work on it believe that it could become a crucial religious site for neo-pagan beliefs around the world.
ANCIENT K JOLUR TRAIL Considered to be a ´haunted highway´this ancient road connecting the southern and northern regions of Iceland is stepped in myth and myster y. Stories of Viking armies, disappearances of whole flocks of sheep and their shepherd with out a trace, and gangs of bandits pervade the histor y of this trail.
THE ARCTIC HENGE
LAKE MÝVATN Situated in a highly geologically active site, close to the Krafla volcano, the landscape surrounding Lake Mývatn bares the scars of the restless earth. The lake itself was created by a large fissure eruption, about 2,300 years ago. Today it is a site where a rich, diverse ecology of bird and plant life is juxtaposed with desolate, almost alien landscapes.
ÞÓSHÖFN
BOLUNGARVÍK
ÍSAFÖRÐUR
66º
12º
HÚSAVIK
ÓLAFSFJÖRÐUR
66º
GARDAR BA 64
This former whaling vessel was active both locally and internationally at the height of Iceland´s fishing and whaling industr y. However dwindling fish stocks and a changing political climate surrounding the industr y has led to a decline in productivit y, leading many vessels to become decommissioned.
VOPNAFJARÐARHREPPUR
H Ú N A F L Ó I SAUÐÁRKRÓKUR
AKUREYRI
SKÚTUSTAÐAHREPPUR
L AKE MÝVATN
GARDAR BA 64
HÚNAVATNSHEPPUR
FA R I C E 1 [ 1 T B / s ] 18 m s t o E u r o p e
HRÚTAFJÖRÐUR
65º
VATNASAFN A project that aims to catalogue and store the different water compositions found in each of Iceland´s glaciers. Each glacier has a different mineral composition, and this librar y of water already stores water of a now extinct glacier.
SEYDISFJORDUR
FLJÓTSDALSHÉRAÐ
ESKIFJÖRÐUR
65º
FJARÐBYGGÐ
VATNASAFN ASK JA CALDERA
BREIÐDALSVIK
ANCIENT K JOLUR TRAIL
DJÚPIVOGUR
ÞINGVALLAVATN No rivers flow into Þingvallavatn lake, instead water is exuded into the lake through fissures in the crust. Due to its location directly above a geological fault, divers can swim through the exceptionally clear waters, bet ween t wo continental plates.
ASK JA CALDERA The remains of a large stratavolcano, where thermally heated water has collected over time. The water, rich in silicas and minerals, has an other worldly pale blue hue. The whole surrounding landscape is desolate and has an air of the extra-terrestrial, so much so, that astronauts trained here in preparation for the Apollo missions.
BORGANES
F A X A F L Ó I [ 2 0 11 ] G r i m s v o t n
HALLFRÍMSKIRK JA, REYK JAVÍK The tallest building in Iceland, this unique church inspired by the immense basalt formations that can be found across Iceland. Designed by Guðjón Samúelsson in the expressionist st yle, construction began in 1945, but took 38 years to complete.
64º
ICELANDIC DEFENCE FORCE After WW2, a newly formed NATO alliance requested the formation of a defensive force to be stationed in Iceland. The US took responsibilit y of this task, and operated the Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) from Keflavik air base from 1951 to 2006. This station was particularly important during the Cold War, and is rumored to have been the for ward base of operations for surveillance missions during that time.
ARKANES
GULLFOSS
HÖFN
ÞINGVALL AVATN
HALLFRÍMSKIRK JA
REYK JAVÍK JÖKULSÁRLÓN L AGOON REYK JANESBÆR
JÖKULSÁRLÓN LAGOON This large glacial lake, on the edge of the Vatnajökull national park used to be beneath the Breiðamerurjökull glacier, before the glacier began to recede away from the ocean. Today, this lake is constantly growing and increase surface temperature reduce the size of the glacier.
64º
Contours (50m increments)
HVANNADALSHNJÚKUR HVERAGEÐI
Roads
L ANDMANNALUAGAR
ICEL ANDIC DEFENCE FORCE
Waterway
ÁRBORG
GRINDAVIK
Waterbody
HVANNADALSHNJÚKUR The summit crater of the Öræfajökull Volcano is the highest point in Iceland, at 2,109 metres. The volcano itself is the largest active volcano in the countr y, but has not fully erupted in over 300 years.
BL ÁA IÓNIÐ RANGÁRÞING YTRA
Fibre Optic Cable Volcano [most recent eruption] Tectonic Fault Line
HVOLSVÖLLUR
BLÁA IÓNIÐ, GRINDAVIK A pool of discharge water from the nearby Svartsangi Geothermal Power Plant, these thermal pools are rich in salt, algae and white silica, giving it a unique appearance. Completely safe for bathing, this site is now one of Iceland´s major tourist attractions.
EMERALD EXPRESS [40 TB/s]
[ 19 18 ] K a t l a
GULLFOSS Situated on the Hvítá river, Gullfoss is the largest waterfall in Europe by flow, with an estimated average flow rate of 140 cubic metres per second.
41 m s t o N o r t h E a s t U S A
EYJAFJALL A JOKULL [ 2 010 ]
VESTMANNAEYJAR VIK [ 19 7 3 ] H e i m a e y
NAVY DC-3 WRECKAGE The remains of an US Douglas Super DC-3 that crashed on the desolate beach on November 24th, 1973. Aircraft such as these were stationed at Kaflavik bet ween 1951 and 2006, and were particularly active during the Cold War.
20ms to London [ 19 6 3 ] S u r t s e y C A N T A T 3 [ 7. 5 G B / s ] GREENLAND CONNECT [2.56 TB/s]
N 24º
23º
22º
O
R 21º
T
H
A 20º
T
L
A 19º
N
T
Scale 1:500,000
I 18º
C
O
C 17º
E
0
12.5 km
25 km
37.5 km
50 km
I C E L A N D G E O G R A P H I C C O N D I T I O N S
EYJAFJALLA JOKULL This volcano is completely covered by an ice cap, yet has been constantly active over the last glacial period, with the most recent eruption being in 2010. The eruptions release large amounts of ash into the air, which were carried over large parts of Europe, severely disrupting aviation over the continent for six days.
NAVY DC-3 WRECKAGE
DANICE SUBMARINE CABLE [5.1 tb/S]
Point of Interest
LANDMANNALUAGAR Located on the edge of an ancient lava field, this region contains several volcanoes, including Hekla and Brennisteinsalda. The high volcanic activit y in the area are created some unique geology, with obsidian obelisks and colourful rhyolite mountains.
A
N 16º
15º
14º
13º