Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Lake Thingvalla
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Thingvellir, on the north shore of Lake Thingvalla, meeting place of the Althingi (parliament), 930–1798.
Quizzes
water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)
Water and its Varying Forms
Quick Facts
Icelandic:
Thingvallavatn
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Thingvellir, on the north shore of Lake Thingvalla, meeting place of the Althingi (parliament), 930–1798.
Thingvellir, on the north shore of Lake Thingvalla, meeting place of the Althingi (parliament), 930–1798.

Lake Thingvalla

lake, Iceland
Also known as: Thingvallavatn
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

Lake Thingvalla, lake, southwestern Iceland, 20 miles (32 km) east of Reykjavík. The lake is about 9 miles (14 km) long and up to 6 miles (10 km) wide and reaches a depth of 374 feet (114 m). It is among the largest lakes in Iceland, with an area of 32 square miles (82 square km), and is a popular spot for trout and char fishing. The lake drains southward to the Atlantic Ocean via the Sog River, which is itself a tributary of the Ölfusá River. On its northern shore stands Thingvellir, the historical meeting place of the Althingi (parliament) from 930 until 1798; it has been part of a national park since 1928. Thingvellir was also the site of the proclamation of the Republic of Iceland on June 17, 1944.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.