About Goðafoss
Goðafoss is a horseshoe-shaped waterfall on the Skjálfandafljót river in north Iceland, right on Route 1. The falls drop around 12 metres over a width of about 30 metres, and the river approaches from a broad lava plain before the drop, which gives the whole setting an unusually open and dramatic quality. It is one of the most accessible major waterfalls in Iceland -- the car park is directly off the Ring Road and the main viewpoints are a short walk from it.
The name is usually translated as "Waterfall of the Gods," though it may equally refer to the goðar, the early Icelandic chieftains. Either way, the name is connected to a well-known story about Iceland's conversion to Christianity.
The legend
According to a tale recorded in the 19th century, Iceland's lawspeaker Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði was tasked with resolving a dispute at the Alþingi around the year 1000, when the country was divided between the old Norse religion and the new Christian faith. After spending a day and night under a fur cloak in deliberation, he declared Christianity would become Iceland's official religion. To mark the change, he is said to have thrown his statues of the Norse gods into this waterfall on his return home.
The story does not appear in the Icelandic sagas, which were generally thorough in recording significant events, and modern historians consider it a later invention. The conversion itself is well documented, but the statue-throwing appears to be a 19th-century addition to give the waterfall a more vivid backstory. The actual history of the conversion, and Þorgeir's role in it, is interesting enough without embellishment.
Visiting Goðafoss
There are viewpoints on both sides of the falls. The eastern side gives the classic front-on view of the full horseshoe. The western side offers a different angle on the flow and power of the water. Both are accessible from the car park via short, well-maintained paths. In winter the rocks and paths can be icy, so appropriate footwear is worth having. There is a café and basic facilities at the site.
Goðafoss sits on the Diamond Circle route in north Iceland, making it a natural stop between Akureyri and Lake Mývatn. Dettifoss is about two hours east. Akureyri is 45 minutes west and is the main service town for north Iceland with accommodation, restaurants, and a domestic airport.
