Hekla
– The Volcano.
Look
North – see the towering peak of Hekla.
Ice on the crest, while fire beneath it rages;
in dreadful deeps, in fetters strong confined,
terror and death abide for endless ages.
(Jónas Hallgrímsson Gunnarshólmi)
Hekla is Iceland's most famous volcano, and one of the world's greatest and
best known. It is a magnificent mountain that towers over its surroundings, and
a mountain of both Icelandic and international folklore. For centuries it was a
widely held belief in Europe that Hekla (or Hekkenfeldt as is was also called in
foreign writings) was the entrance to hell and that in its fires, the souls of
the condemned suffered eternally. Volcanic ash from its largest eruptions could
be detected as far away as the British Isles.
For Icelanders Hekla has both been a source of fear and fascination. Its
eruptions have through history caused massive harm to land, animals and people.
Entire areas have been depopulated and covered by volcanic lava, and in major
eruptions major parts of Iceland became more or less inhabitable for a while. In
spite of this it has attracted people and the name of the mountain has even
frequently been used as a girl's name.
Since the Vikings inhabited Iceland, Hekla has erupted approximately once every
century. In the 20th century, however, Hekla erupted four times, the
last of those in 1991. The new century started in similar fashion, with the
first eruption of the millennium on March 4, 2000.
Today Hekla is a popular, but exotic, tourist destination – as well as a focus
of research. Going up the mountain (climbing or in specially equipped vehicles)
is a fantastic experience, a unique contact with the forces of nature. Standing
on a beautiful, but active volcano, feeling the heat and energy of nature's forces, is a breathtaking experience.
Thanks to the constant monitoring and research, visitors need normally not fear
a volcanic eruption without good warning.