Gullfoss

Dansk: Gullfoss er et vandfald i Island. Floden Hvítá løber gennem vandfaldet.

Deutsch: Der Gullfoss ['kʏtl̥ˌfɔsː] (isl. gull = Gold, foss = Wasserfall) ist ein Wasserfall des Flusses Hvítá (Árnessýsla) im Süden von Island. Er ist einer der bekanntesten Wasserfälle Islands und gehört zum touristischen "Goldenen Zirkel" von Sehenswürdigkeiten im Süden bzw. Südwesten Islands.

English: Gullfoss is an important waterfall of the river Hvítá in the south of Iceland and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

Español: Gullfoss (i. e. Cascada Dorada) es una catarata situada en el cañón del río Hvitá en el sureste de Islandia. Forma parte de la ruta turística del Círculo Dorado.

Français : Gullfoss (la « chute d'or ») est une succession de deux chutes d’eau d’Islande situées sur la rivière Hvítá. Son nom provient de l'arc-en-ciel que l'on peut souvent voir au-dessus. D’une hauteur de 32 mètres1 et d'une largeur de 70 mètres, elle se trouve à quelques kilomètres du site de Geysir et forme avec celui-ci et Þingvellir le « cercle d'or », une attraction touristique très populaire.

Íslenska: Gullfoss er foss í Hvítá upp af Haukadal í Árnessýslu á Íslandi, hann er einn vinsælasti ferðamannastaður landsins.

Location of Gullfoss

The waterfall is situated at the southern end of Kjölur highland road, and not far from one of the biggest ice caps of Iceland, Langjökull.

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  Localisation of Gullfoss
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  Kjölur highland road

Panoramics of Gullfoss

The waterfall has two steps, about 10 m and about 20m high each, over which the waters tumble down into the over 70 m deep canyon of Hvítárgljúfur.

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  The waterfall seen from the view point next to the coffeeshop
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  The walls of the canyon consist mainly of lava.

Upstream impressions of the river Hvítá

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  Rapids in the river Hvítá upstream of the waterfall
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The upper part of Gullfoss

An erosional step of 11 m.

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Impressions of both parts of the waterfall

The two steps form an angle of about 90°. Faults and contrasting lithologies determine the form of the falls. There is a sequence of two different lava formations alternating with sediments around and under Gullfoss and Hvítárgljúfur.

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The lower part of Gullfoss

A 21 m step.

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  This could be a small jökulhlaup: Compare the volume of water and the water colours, they show an increase in sediment load.
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Hvítárgljúfur, the canyon

It has a length of 2,5 km and a depth of about 70 m. At the same time, the canyon is in line with a tectonic fault beneath the valley.

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  Seen from direction of Brattahlíd
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  Many different lava flows built the walls of this canyon.
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  The walls of Hvítárgljúfur

Gullfoss in the winter time

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  Hvítárgljúfur in the winter time
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Highland of Iceland, seen from Gullfoss

Most part of the waters of Hvítá is glacial meltwater from Langjökull and Hofsjökull. The highland and the glaciers can be seen from the waterfall.

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  Gullfoss in April, in Iceland still winter time; view of the waterfall and the highland in direction of the mountain Bláfell and the mountain range of Kerlingarfjöll and Hofsjökull
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  The same view in July
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  The mountain Bláfell, former home of a troll
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  Zoomed view of ice cap w:Langjökull and its volcanic mountains from the parking lot in front of Gullfoss coffeshop