Surtshellir

Surtshellir is a lava cave located in western Iceland, around 60 km from the settlement of Borgarnes. Approximately a mile in length, it is one of the longest such caves in the country. It was the first known lava tube in the world, at least by modern speleologists, and remained the longest known lava tube until the end of the 19th century. While mentioned in the medieval historical-geographical work Landnámabók, Eggert Ólafsson was the first to give a thorough documentation of the cave in his 1750 travels of the region. It is named after the fire giant Surtr, a prominent figure in Norse mythology, who is prophesied to one day engulf the world in the fire of his flaming sword.

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Wikimedia, Wikidata
cave, lava tube, Iceland, 

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Location: 64.7842, -20.7277, KML, Cluster Map, Maps,
4 places

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  Hallmundarhellir ⓘ
  

• 

  Íshellir ⓘ
  cave in Iceland

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  Kalmanshellir ⓘ
  

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  Surtshellir ⓘ
  cave in Iceland

Frameless

Charles Hamilton Smith - Cave of Surtshellir or Robber's Cavern, Iceland - B1978.43.1820(70) - Yale Center for British Art

Geology; stalatites found in a cave in mountains at Surtshel Wellcome V0025119

Surtshellir2

Atlas du voyage en Islande fait par ordre de S. M. Danoise 1802 (127637152)

The ice-curtain in Surtshellir. (4558240595)

Surtshellir. Icicles (Ice Stalagonites). (4558225817)

Ice pinnacles (ice stalagonites) in Surtshellir. (4558901240)

Surtshellir4

Inside-surtshellir

Surtshellir Cave (14318638671)

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
site	cave		Hallmundarhellir	cave	Wikidata
site	cave		Íshellir	cave	Wikidata
site	cave		Kalmanshellir	cave	Wikidata
site	cave		Surtshellir	cave, lava tube	Wikidata
commons	image		Charles Hamilton Smith - Cave of Surtshellir or Robber's Cavern, Iceland - B1978.43.1820(70) - Yale Center for British Art		Commons
commons	image		Geology; stalatites found in a cave in mountains at Surtshel Wellcome V0025119		Commons
commons	image		Surtshellir2		Commons
commons	image		Atlas du voyage en Islande fait par ordre de S. M. Danoise 1802 (127637152)		Commons
commons	image		The ice-curtain in Surtshellir. (4558240595)		Commons
commons	image		Surtshellir. Icicles (Ice Stalagonites). (4558225817)		Commons
commons	image		Ice pinnacles (ice stalagonites) in Surtshellir. (4558901240)		Commons
commons	image		Surtshellir4		Commons
commons	image		Inside-surtshellir		Commons
commons	image		Surtshellir Cave (14318638671)		Commons