Strokkur, Iceland - Unique Places Around the World

Geysers are rare features. There are approximately 1,000 known geysers in the entire world. Of the 1,000, Strokkur is one of the well-known geysers due to its eruption frequency and how high its water is ejected. The geyser is located in Iceland. Strokkur is the Icelandic word for ‘Churn’. It is one of the most popular geysers in not only Iceland but the entire world and it is considered to be popular and unique because it erupts after every 6 to 10 minutes. The eruptions are usually between 15 to 20 meters. However, in a few instances, the eruptions can be as high as 40 meters.

Geographic Location of Strokkur

Strokkur is located in Southwest region of Iceland. It is on the eastern side of Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. It is in the geothermal area just beside the Hvita River in the Haukadalur Valley area, with a number of other geothermal physical features. These other features located in the region close to this popular geyser include mud pools, fumaroles, and some other geysers, such as The Great Geysir. In fact, the English name used to refer to the hot springs, "geyser," was derived from Geysir.

What Causes Geysers to Erupt?

One would be curious to know why and how the hot water gush from the ground and what exactly makes it erupt high in the air. There must be a source of water and a source of heat, in this case cooling magma. Pressure is built up as the water is boiling. The more the pressure builds up, the higher the eruption. When the boiling point of the water is reached, the water is violently gushed out as the geyser.

History of Stokkur

Before 1789, Strokkur was a little-known place. An earthquake that occurred in 1789 is responsible for its popularity today. The earthquake unblocked the conduit of the Strokkur Geyser. However, during the 19th century, the eruption of this geyser gradually fluctuated. Its height at these times was approximately 60 meters high. In the 20th century, another earthquake is said to have occurred in the area. The earthquake blocked the conduit. In 1963, under the supervision of the Geysir Committee, the locals helped clean the conduit. Following the manual cleaning of the geyser by the locals in 1963, the Strokkur has been erupting without any disruptions.

Tourism to the Strokkur Geyser

Strokkur attracts a large number of tourists from different parts world. The geothermal area is one of the most popular tourist attraction sites in Iceland. The intriguing water eruption process is what keeps the flow of tourists to the site. The hot water spouts that erupt after a few minutes are interesting to watch. Besides the geyser itself, the surrounding area is also a tourist magnet. Accessing this geyser is free of charge. Photography is the most popular activity that tourists engage in during their visit to the hot springs.