View source for Gullfoss

{{for|the ship|MV Gullfoss}}
{{Infobox waterfall
| name = Gullfoss
| photo = Gullfoss_from_the_Air.jpg
| photo_caption = Gullfoss, Iceland
| location = Southwest [[Iceland]]
| map  = Iceland
| coords = {{coord|64|19|34|N|20|07|16|W|region:IS_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| watercourse = Hvítá River
| type = Tiered, Cataract
| height = 32 m 
| height_longest = 21 m
| number_drops = 2
| average_flow = 140&nbsp;m<sup>3</sup>/s
| world_rank = 
}}

'''Gullfoss''' ("Golden Falls"; {{Audio|Is-Gullfoss_pronunciation.ogg|Icelandic pronunciation:}} {{IPA|is|ˈkʏtl̥ˌfɔsː|}}) is a [[waterfall]] located in the [[canyon]] of the [[Hvítá, Árnessýsla|Hvítá]] river in southwest [[Iceland]]. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, and is included in "[[Golden Circle (Iceland)|Golden Circle]]" tours of the countryside near [[Reykjavík]].

==History and description==
[[File:Gullfoss Iceland.ogv|thumb|thumbtime=0:58|right|Gullfoss in August 2013]]
[[File:Iceland - 2017-02-22 - Gullfoss - 3684.jpg|The falls in winter|thumb]]

The [[Hvítá (Árnessýsla)|Hvítá]] river flows southward, and about a kilometre above the falls it turns sharply to the west and flows down into a wide curved three-step "staircase" and then abruptly plunges in two stages ({{convert|11|m|disp=or}}, and {{convert|21|m|disp=or}})<ref>{{cite web |title=Gullfoss Travel Guide |url=https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/gullfoss |website=Guide to Iceland |access-date=12 November 2023}}</ref> into a crevice {{convert|32|m}} deep. The crevice, about {{convert|20|m}} wide and {{convert|2.5|km}} in length, extends perpendicular to the flow of the river.  The average amount of water running down the waterfall is {{convert|141|m3}} per second in the summer and {{convert|80|m3}} per second in the winter. The highest flood measured was {{convert|2000|m3}} per second.

During the first half of the 20th century and some years into the late 20th century, there was much speculation about using Gullfoss to generate electricity. During this period, the waterfall was rented indirectly by its owners, Tómas Tómasson and Halldór Halldórsson, to foreign investors. However, the investors' attempts were unsuccessful, partly due to lack of money. [[Sigríður Tómasdóttir]], daughter of the co-owner, is popularly credited with saving the waterfall from exploitation: advocating for legal protections against foreign control of it, and reportedly threatening to throw herself down the falls. A stone memorial above the falls depicts her profile.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gullfoss Sigridur Tomasdottir |url=http://www.nat.is/travelguideeng/gullfoss_sigridur_tomasdottir.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014045607/http://www.nat.is/travelguideeng/gullfoss_sigridur_tomasdottir.htm |archive-date=2011-10-14 |access-date=2012-01-01 |publisher=Nat.is}}</ref> The waterfall was later sold to the Icelandic government and was made a permanent conservation site in 1979.<ref name="sittig">Linda Harris Sittig, [https://strongwomeninhistory.com/2012/05/28/sigridur-tomasdottir/ "Sigridur Tomasdottir, Steward of the Land,"] [http://strongwomeninhistory.com/ StrongWomenInHistory.com/], May 28, 2012.</ref>

Gullfoss is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. Together with [[Þingvellir]], [[Geysir]], and the other [[geyser]]s of [[Haukadalur (Bláskógabyggð)|Haukadalur]], Gullfoss forms part of the [[Golden Circle (Iceland)|Golden Circle]], a popular day excursion for tourists in Iceland.

==In popular culture==
A photograph taken at Gullfoss in winter is the album cover of ''[[Porcupine (album)|Porcupine]]'' by the British band [[Echo and the Bunnymen]]. Gullfoss is the setting of the music video for the 2003 single "[[Heaven (Live song)|Heaven]]" by the band [[Live (band)|Live]]. An animated version of the site appears in the [[Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3|third season]] of the TV series [[Avatar: The Last Airbender]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Konietzko |first1=Bryan |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Avatar_The_Last_Airbender_The_Art_of_the/vS0LEAAAQBAJ?hl=en |title=Avatar, the last airbender: the art of the animated series |last2=DiMartino |first2=Michael Dante |last3=Yang |first3=Gene Luen |date=2020 |publisher=Dark Horse Books |isbn=978-1-5067-2170-5 |edition=Second |location=Milwaukie, OR}}</ref> It appears briefly in a subplot of the TV series [[Vikings_(TV_series)|''Vikings'']], in which one character kills herself by diving into the falls. It is featured as a "pit stop" in the [[The Amazing Race 34|thirty-fourth season]] of the American reality competition ''[[The Amazing Race (American TV series)|The Amazing Race]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldderby.com/article/2022/the-amazing-race-34-episode-11-recap/|title='The Amazing Race 34' episode 11 recap: A spot in the finale is on the line in 'How Am I Going to Survive This?' [LIVE BLOG]|work=[[Gold Derby]]|last=Davidson|first=Denton|date=November 30, 2022|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of rivers of Iceland]]
* [[List of waterfalls]]
* [[Waterfalls of Iceland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[http://www.gullfoss.is The Official Gullfoss website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924042142/http://www.gullfoss.is/ |date=2014-09-24 }}
*[http://www.gullfoss.is/gullfoss-live-web-camera/ Live webcam located at Gullfoss] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220091101/http://www.gullfoss.is/gullfoss-live-web-camera/ |date=2015-02-20 }}
*[http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20121103074651/http://www.islandsmyndir.is/html_skjol/sudurland/gullfoss/index.html Gullfoss gallery from islandsmyndir.is]
*[http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20000819032209/http://south.is/photo_gullfoss.shtml Gullfoss Gallery]
*[http://www.gullfoss.org Gullfoss.org Information and photos of Gullfoss]
*[http://www.icelandvirtualtour.com/gullfoss-top.html Gullfoss virtual tour] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119155345/http://www.icelandvirtualtour.com/gullfoss-top.html |date=2012-01-19 }}

{{Waterfalls of Iceland}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Canyons and gorges of Iceland]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Iceland]]
[[Category:Waterfalls of Iceland]]