Foto

Taken from the east side of Žingvellir lake.

From Wikipedia:

The valley is one of the most important places in Icelandic history. In the year 930, the Alžingi, one of the oldest parliamentary institutions of the world, was founded here.

The Alžingi met yearly, where the Lawspeaker recited the law to all of the gathered people and decided disputes as well. Criminals were also punished at these assemblies; to this day, visitors can see the Drekkingarhylur ('drowning pool') in the river, where female lawbreakers were drowned.

In the year 999 or 1000 the Lawspeaker Žorgeir Ljósvetningagoši made Christianity the official religion of Iceland. After his conversion it is said that, upon returning from the Alžingi, Žorgeir then threw his statues of the old Norse gods into the waterfall that is now named Gošafoss ('Waterfall of the Gods').