Stekkjarkot, Icelandic turf house near Keflavik International Airport on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The land on which the house stands was of the type known in Icelandic as purrabúð, which meant that its occupants were forbidden from keeping any kind of domestic animals, including cows and sheep. As a result, they were completely dependent on the sea for their existence. During its 37 years of habitation, Stekkjarkot was occupied by only 3 couples and their families. Built during the years 1855-1877, it was abandoned only 30 years later. Refurbished in 1917, it was abandoned again in 1927. The high point of its history as a farm probably came in 1921, when its tenants finally managed to gain permission to keep a few sheep.

Stekkjarkot, Icelandic turf house near Keflavik International Airport on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The land on which the house stands was of the type known in Icelandic as purrabúð, which meant that its occupants were forbidden from keeping any kind of domestic animals, including cows and sheep. As a result, they were completely dependent on the sea for their existence. During its 37 years of habitation, Stekkjarkot was occupied by only 3 couples and their families. Built during the years 1855-1877, it was abandoned only 30 years later. Refurbished in 1917, it was abandoned again in 1927. The high point of its history as a farm probably came in 1921, when its tenants finally managed to gain permission to keep a few sheep.

Holmsberg Lighthouse, Reykjanesbær, Southern Peninsula, Iceland

The Lighthouse at Holmsberg was built in 1956. The conical tower stands 9,3 m tall with a red lantern house of 3,4 m on top. Six identical lighthouses can be found in other parts of Iceland, all designed by the engineer Axel Sveinsson.

Coastline at Holmsberg Lighthouse on the Southern Peninsula in Iceland

Coastline at Holmsberg Lighthouse near Reykjanesbær on the Southern Peninsula in Iceland

The 'new' lighthouse at Garðskagi

The 'new' lighthouse at Garðskagi on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The old Garðskagi Lighthouse at Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland

There are two lighthouses standing side by side at the tip of the Reykjanes peninsula at Garðskagi. This one was constructed first in 1897, while the otherone was built recently in 1944.

Hvalsnes Church on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Hvalsnes church was built with basaltic lava stones in 1886-87. It has an oddly colorful tower.

Stafnesviti Lighthouse on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The Strafnesviti Lighthouse was built with concrete in 1925. 6 identical lighthouses, designed by engineer Axel Sveinsson, were built in other parts of iceland. Stafnes was a mansion in the past. There were many fishing outfits on the property and many people lived there during the fishing seasons. Royal fishing outfits started operating there around the middle of the 16th century and were abolished in 1769. The inhabitants of the King’s properties in the Southwest were obliged to work on the King’s boats against low pay. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Stafnes was the most populous fishing outfit on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Iceland Horses at the Stafnesviti Lighthouse on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Looks like a pony, walks like a pony, has the size of a pony - and the hair style too. But for some reason Iceland Horses are not ponies. The most important reason seems to be tradition: Icelandic horses have always been referred to as such. Breeding registries all agree that the Icelandic horse should be referred to as such.

Iceland Horses at the Stafnesviti Lighthouse on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The Strafnesviti Lighthouse was built with concrete in 1925. 6 identical lighthouses, designed by engineer Axel Sveinsson, were built in other parts of iceland. Stafnes was a mansion in the past. There were many fishing outfits on the property and many people lived there during the fishing seasons. Royal fishing outfits started operating there around the middle of the 16th century and were abolished in 1769. The inhabitants of the King’s properties in the Southwest were obliged to work on the King’s boats against low pay. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Stafnes was the most populous fishing outfit on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Bridge Between Continents on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland

The Bridge between Continents or Midlina is a 15 meter (50 ft) footbridge in the Reykjanes Peninsula spanning a gaping rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. The lava-scarred Reykjanes Peninsula lies directly on the Mid Atlantic Ridge. These major tectonic plates drift apart by the Earth’s forces, few centimeters each year. After crossing the bridge you can pick up a personalized certificate from the Reykjanes Information Center. It verifies that you did indeed walk all the way from Europe to America. Or at least between the two tectonic plates…

Mid-Atlantic Ridge near Sandvík on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Iceland represents the largest portion of the mid-Atlantic ridge exposed above sea level. Formed from volcanic eruptions on the Mid-Atlantic ridge, about 24 million years ago, it is one of the few places where you can stand on the ridge on dry land. This makes Iceland very special and a popular place for geologists and scientists.

Reykjanesvíti Lighthouse, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The first lighthouse in Iceland was built on Valahnúkur in Reykjanes in the year 1878. By 1905 earthquakes and surf had damaged Valahnúkur so much that there was the risk of the lighthouse falling into the sea. A new lighthouse was therefore built in 1907-1908 on Bæjarfell hill in Reykjanes and the old one was demolished with an explosion on april 16th 1908. A survey which Rögnvaldur Guðmundsson supervised in 2007 for the Icelandic Maritime Administration led to the conclusion that Reykjanes lighthouse was the most popular lighthouse among Icelanders. The lightsignal height is 69 meters above sealevel but the actual height of the lighthouse is 26 metres. Reykjanes lighthouse also has a radio beacon with a correction signal. There is carved rock and concrete in the lighthouse. Architect Frederik Kjørboe and engineer Thorvald Krabbe designed the lighthouse. The operation of Reykjanes Lighthouse is under the supervision of the Icelandic Maritime Administration.

Gunnuhver Steam Vent at Gunnuhver Geothermal Area

Gunnuhver is located within the Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark. It is a highly active geothermal area of mud pools and steam vents on the southwest part of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Named after an angry female ghost, Gudrun, whose spirit was trapped in the hot springs by a priest 400 years ago. The steamy area has an eerie atmosphere and an incredible sulfur vapor. A unique characteristic of the Gunnuhver hot springs is that the groundwater here is 100% seawater, unlike other geothermal areas on the island.

Brimketill View Point, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

The relentless sea pounding the coastline. The waves erode the rock by increasing air pressure in fissures and cracks. On receding, the sea takes the air with it, creating under-pressure. This process erodes the rock over time. The lava around Brimketill is extremely rough, cracked and with high, sharp edges and surfaces. The field properly formed in the Reykjanes Fires in 1210 - 1240.

Seltún - the colourful Geothermal Area at Krýsuvík on the Reykjanesskagi Peninsula in SW-Iceland

Grænavatn (Green Lake) near Seltún Geothermal Area on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Grænavatn (Greenlake) is a volcanic crater that got its name from its unusual green color. The color is due to a high level of sulphur in the water and its depth. The lake is only about few hundred meters in diameter. For a small lake it is quite deep, though, or 45 meters. This is visible as you stand by the brim, and you can see how the color changes by the shoreline where the lake gets deeper. Grænavatn is considered by geologists to be one of the most noteworthy geological phenomena of its kind in Iceland.

Krýsuvíkurkirkja, a simple wooden church in Krýsuvík, Iceland

Krýsuvíkurkirkja was built in 1857, rebuilt in 1964 and then went into the custody of the National Guard and was added to the list of listed houses. The altarpiece of the church was a painting by Svein Björnsson, a painter. Krýsuvíkurkirkja was used as a parish church until 1910. It was demolished in 1917 and used as an apartment from 1929, but then again turned into a church in 1963-64 with the help of Björn Jóhannesson, former mayor of Hafnarfjörður, but Hafnarfjörður moved the building to the National Museum in the autumn of 1964. A church will have been built in Krýsuvík at the beginning of Christianity in this country in Kirkjulág in Húshólmur before Ögmundarhaun flowed in the middle of the 12th century. After that event, the church was relocated. The church that burned was built by Beinteinn Stefánsson, a tenant farmer in Krýsuvík, from driftwood in 1857. The settlement in Krýsuvík was abandoned at the beginning of the last century and in 1929 Krýsuvíkurkirkja was abolished as a sanctuary. Magnús Ólafsson, who last lived in Krýsuvíkurbær, stayed in the church for years as a good shepherd. Extensive repairs began in 1986 and were then restored to their original form. The outer walls had tarred artwork and corrugated iron on the roof. No old church objects had been preserved and the pews, altar and pulpit were of a new and simple type. It burned to cold coals on the eve of January 2, 2010. Two boys and two girls aged 17-20 confessed to setting the church on fire, but the church was completely destroyed in the fire. The youths poured gas cans inside the church and lit them. They then left the place but also brought with them small coins that they stole from the collection of Krýsuvíkurkirkja. During questioning by the police, it was revealed that they were going to set fire to a church, but it seems to have happened by chance.