Gullfoss

Gullfoss waterfall, located in the canyon of Hvítá is 32 meters high, 20 meters wide and it rushes down a canyon that’s up to 70m deep. The average amount of water running over this waterfall is 140 m3/s and the highest flood measured was 2000 m3/s.

In the first half of the 20th century there was much talk about using the waterfall to generate electricity and during that period the waterfall was rented indirectly by its owner Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson to foreign investors. Gullfoss was later sold to the state of Iceland, there where some speculations about using it but it was never done and now the waterfall is protected.

There is a very popular story in Iceland that Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the daughter of Tómas Tómasson (one of the owner) was determined to preserve the waterfall and threatened to throw herself into it. It is believed that Sigríður saved the waterfall Gullfoss.

There is now a memorial stone located above the falls.

Live Webcam from Gullfoss Waterfall - Click here to see how it looks right now!!