Iceland: Thingvellir


Thingvellir is a spot of romance, the terminous of the mid-Atlantic rift and home to Iceland's first parliament, which ruled the country (more or less) from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries when some greedy souls sold out to Norway.

Thingvellir

Thingvellir

It has a central part in many Icelandic sagas, since the Althing met but once a year, and much talking, as well as lawsuits, had to be accomplished, not to mention the reading of a third of the law code each year. On the tour, you'll probably hear about the peaceful conversion from the norse gods to Christianity, which took place here. More exciting (and also included in Njal's Saga from which the conversion description is taken) are such events as the trial and battle subsequent to the burning of Njal in his home. (Oddly, I also remember, way back when in grade school, one text had two excerpts from Njal's Saga.

Thingvellir sheep

Thingvellir sheep

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