What was declared at Thingvellir in 1944?

Iceland's independence as a republic

What can visitors do in the Silfra fissure?

Snorkel or dive in clear glacial water

Thingvellir Quiz: Rift Valley and Iceland's Ancient Parliament

This Thingvellir quiz walks the rift valley at the heart of Iceland's history. Play 10 interactive questions on the Althing founded in 930, the Law Rock, the decision to adopt Christianity in 1000, independence in 1944, the North American and Eurasian plates, how fast the rift widens, Silfra fissure diving, Öxarárfoss waterfall, national park status and UNESCO.

Start Thingvellir Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Country
Which country is Thingvellir in?
Parliament
Which assembly was founded there in 930?
Rock
What was the Law Rock used for?
1000
What was decided at the Althing around the year 1000?
1944
What was declared at Thingvellir in 1944?
Plates
Which plates meet at Thingvellir?
Widen
About how fast is the rift widening?
Silfra
What can visitors do in the Silfra fissure?
Falls
Which waterfall tumbles into the rift?
UNESCO
When did Thingvellir become a UNESCO site?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which country is Thingvellir in?
Answer: Iceland
It is near Reykjavik.
Q2: Which assembly was founded there in 930?
Answer: The Althing
It is one of the oldest parliaments.
Q3: What was the Law Rock used for?
Answer: Reciting laws to the assembly
A lawspeaker stood there.
Q4: What was decided at the Althing around the year 1000?
Answer: Iceland would adopt Christianity
It was a peaceful decision.
Q5: What was declared at Thingvellir in 1944?
Answer: Iceland's independence as a republic
Crowds gathered in the rain.
Q6: Which plates meet at Thingvellir?
Answer: North American and Eurasian
The rift is visible on land.
Q7: About how fast is the rift widening?
Answer: A couple of centimeters a year
Cracks and fissures show it.
Q8: What can visitors do in the Silfra fissure?
Answer: Snorkel or dive in clear glacial water
Visibility can exceed 100 meters.
Q9: Which waterfall tumbles into the rift?
Answer: Öxarárfoss
Its river was diverted long ago.
Q10: When did Thingvellir become a UNESCO site?
Answer: 2004
It was a national park from 1930.

Where Iceland's Parliament Met Between Two Plates

Thingvellir is a rift valley northeast of Reykjavik where the Althing, Iceland's assembly, was founded in 930, making it one of the oldest parliaments in the world. Chieftains gathered each summer, and a lawspeaker recited the laws from the Law Rock.

Around the year 1000, the Althing decided peacefully that Iceland would adopt Christianity. Centuries later, in 1944, crowds gathered at Thingvellir as Iceland declared itself an independent republic. The site became a national park in 1930 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Thingvellir also sits where the North American and Eurasian plates pull apart, widening by a couple of centimeters a year. Visitors walk between rocky walls and snorkel or dive in the Silfra fissure, filled with clear glacial water. The Öxarárfoss waterfall tumbles into the rift.

What This Quiz Teaches

Iceland fans will enjoy these questions.

What the Althing was
Which decisions were made there
Which plates meet there
What visitors can explore
How the site is protected

Did You Know?

Thingvellir is part of the Golden Circle route.
Lake Thingvallavatn is Iceland's largest natural lake.
Scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed there.
Silfra water stays around 2 to 4°C.
Earthquakes have shaped the valley's cracks.