Althing, the world’s longest running parliament is in Iceland

The Althing

In the Thingvellir valley, in the southwest of Iceland, what is often called the world’s longest running national parliament first assembled over 1000 years ago. Known as the Althing (Icelandic: Alþingi), the parliament was founded as an outdoor assembly in 930, uniting the various Viking chieftaincies of Iceland and establishing justice, order, and a rule of law. With it, Iceland became, after ancient Greece and Rome, one of the earliest republics in Europe, a crude model for the ideas that would come into play 800 years later as democracies were formed in the USA, France and then the wider world.

The function of the Althing has varied over the years, with Iceland occupied by various powers until gaining its full independence again in 1944. Nevertheless, the Althing has always stood as the foundation for an independent national existence in Iceland.

Odyssey Traveller visits Thingvellir National Park, historic home of the Althing, on Day 3 of our 17-day Iceland cultural and wilderness small group tour, the same day we visit Reykholt, home of the saga writer Snorri Sturluson. Read on for a history of Iceland’s Althing as background reading for your tour.

Thingvellir national park landscape with historic site known for the Althing site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries. View is from The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a boundary between two tectonic plates, the Eurasian and the North American, and is a product of earth movements. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Viking Settlement of Iceland

The Vikings first visited Iceland in a series of voyages in the mid-9^th century before colonists led by Ingólf Arnarson first settled on the island in 874. From then until 930 somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 people followed to settle habitable areas of the land.

Many of these first settlers were members of the Norwegian aristocracy – chieftains (known as goðar), nobles, and even the sons of kings – escaping the oppressive regime of King Harald Fairhair. For the first time in history, the king had brought all Norway under his sway, taking possession of people’s lands and levying taxes. For the Norwegian aristocracy and their families, this was nothing short of tyranny. Rather than be subjugated in their homeland, they chose exile, seeking a land of the free.

During the period of settlement, no real political structure existed in Iceland. However, as the aristocrats had been the acknowledged leaders politically and religiously in Norway, they soon came to hold a similar position in the new land, with groups of adherents gathering around them. The country was thus divided into a number of chieftaincies.

As the settlers had left their native land for the sake of personal liberty, they did not intend to establish a unified government with a centralized authority which might in any way threaten their individual rights. Instead, each chieftaincy had its own laws, which freemen could discuss and agree upon in gathered assemblies.

Viking longship sailing on a calm sea at sunset, 3d digitally rendered illustration

Establishment of the Althing

The local assemblies soon proved insufficient to maintain peace across Iceland. Although the different chieftaincies shared the same ancestral home, religion, and language, they had their own leaders and customs that set them apart. Violence between the groups became frequent as each fought for their beliefs and limited resources of the land.

With no higher tribunal nor assembly for the country at large, it was impossible to settle the conflicts between the different communities. The people thus began to push for a general assembly under a central national government which could establish laws to ensure harmonious living. To ascertain how this could be achieved, one of the goðar, Ulfjot, went to Norway to study Norwegian constitutional laws. After a few years he returned with a constitution for Iceland.

Ulfjot’s constitution was adopted in 930, binding the chieftaincies together into the unified Iceland Republic. The constitution provided for the establishment of the Althing – a national assembly in which every community could be represented proportionately. This was to be the sole body charged with legislative and judicial powers in the new republic.

To select the meeting place of the Althing, Ulfjot’s foster brother, Grim Goatbeard, traversed all the country. Eventually, he chose the lowlands which have ever since been known as Thingvellir (The Plains of the Parliament), in the southwestern part of Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Function of the Althing

Following the first assembly in 930, the Althing would be assembled around the middle of June each year and last for two weeks. The assemblies were centred around a large basalt slab protruding from the western wall of the valley, known as the Lögberg, or Law Rock. Taking his seat on the Law Rock was the lögsögumaður, or Lawspeaker, who officially presided over the assembly, recited the laws of Iceland in effect at the time, and proclaimed the procedural law of the Althing to those attending the assembly.

Still, the Lawspeaker did not have any real greater power than the other attendees. His position was merely a ceremonial one, designed to serve as the institution’s mouthpiece. Rather, decisions were made collectively amongst the Lögrétta, or the Law Council. All free men could attend the assemblies, but it was the country’s goðar from 39 districts plus nine additional members who made up the Law Council. Among those who held the office of Lawspeaker was the saga writer Snorri Sturluson, in 1215 to 1218 and again in 1222 to 1231.

As the legislative section of the assembly, the Law Council amended and adopted new laws, granted exemptions to existing laws, settled legal disputes, and tried and punished criminals. All rulings were made by majority vote.

When the country was split up into four quarters in 965, a fjórðungsdómur, or quarter court was established for each. Each quarter court consisted of 36 judges, each appointed by the Law Council. For a verdict to be valid 31 judges had to agree.

A fifth court, the fimmtardómur, was then established in the early 11^th century. Comprised of 48 judges appointed by the Law Council, this served as an appeal court, hearing cases left unsettled by the other courts.

Social Event of the Year

Politics and legislation, however, were not the only focus at these assemblies. Socially, it was the main event of the year. Large crowds descended on the assemblies – farmers, craftsmen, storytellers, travellers, traders, and all their families attending.

Merchants returning from abroad brought news along with goods for sale. Athletes showed their prowess in various sports. Poets and storytellers entertained with their art, and many of the great scenes of the Icelandic sagas are set at the Althing. Distant relations shared their annual news, invitations were exchanged, and banquets held. It was an excellent occasion for making and renewing friendships, many a marriage was there arranged, and many a romance begun.

Within the bounds of Althing everyone was entitled to sanctuary. To accommodate everyone, temporary tent camps called búðir were raised, where people stayed and met up for gatherings and parties.

Re-enactors in a Viking longhouse: the Althing was also the great social gathering of the year.

Changing Role of the Althing

The Icelandic republic born at Thingvellir would come to an end in the 13^th century. After about 20 years of internal strife and deadly fighting, the leaders of the little nation chose to surrender independence to the authority of the Norwegian king in 1264.

The Law Council at the Althing continued to be the country’s principal institution, maintaining its legislative powers, albeit to a limited extent. The executive power now rested with the king. He had the final verdict on laws adopted by the Law Council, and if he initiated legislation, the Althing had to approve.

In 1380 Norway, and Iceland with it, passed to the Danish crown, and in 1397 the Kalmar Union, formed at Kalmar, Sweden, brought the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark under a single monarch. Over the following centuries Iceland lost most of the autonomy it had held under the Norwegian crown, including its legislative powers, and after the Danish king took absolute power in 1662 the Althing served mainly as a court of law until 1800.

That year, the Althing’s functions were dissolved, and a new High Court was established in Reykjavik. Then, in 1843, a royal decree established a new Althing comprised of 26 Members sitting in a single chamber. Unfortunately, the group were no more than a consultative body for the Danish crown, tasked with examining proposed legislation.

Reykjavik, Iceland in winter

Following the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, Icelanders began to agitate for independence. This led the Danish King Christian IX to grant Iceland its own constitution in 1874, at the celebration of the thousandth anniversary of Iceland’s first settlement. This granted the Althing, now consisting of 36 members, joint legislative power with the crown in matters of exclusive Icelandic concern, and it gave Iceland’s National treasury powers of taxation and financial allocation. Still though, the king retained the right to veto legislation and often used it.

Then on 1 December 1918 Iceland was recognised as a fully sovereign and independent state in a personal union with Denmark. With this the Althing was granted unrestricted legislative power, although foreign affairs and coastal surveillance remained in Danish hands. The union expired in December 1943 after 25 years, and in May 1944 Icelanders voted to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic, with the Althing as the parliament.

Thingvellir National Park

The Thingvellir plain, with the Öxará river winding past Thingvellir church.

On May 7, 1928, Thingvellir, site of the historic Althing, was protected by law as a national park and declared a “protected national shrine”. The park was formally established in 1930, the thousandth anniversary of the Althing. Located 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Reykjavik, it is regarded as a site of historical, cultural, and geological significance. It is one of Iceland’s most popular tourist destinations, situated on “The Golden Circle” – a popular tourist route which also includes the Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss waterfall. For years it was Iceland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, until it was joined in 2008 by the volcanic island Surtsey, and by Vatnajokull National Park in 2019.

Thingvellir’s location is quite impressive: a sunken lava-plain, several miles in length and breadth, shaped over the ages by volcanic fires and earthquakes. Its surface is interwoven with chasms, changing from barren rock to dwarf birches and green pastures. A snow-capped mountain rises in the distance to the north, while the south side of the plain is situated on the silver waters of Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. To the east and the west huge walls of rock flank the tableland.

The Park lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Iceland is one of the few places in the world where the ridge rises above sea level. Here you can literally walk between the two continents, visible on the earth’s surface and continuously splitting Iceland into two at a rate of about 2 cm (under an inch) a year.

Setting sun along the path between large rock walls in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Today many come here for the opportunity to snorkel and dive in the pristine and crystal-clear glacial water that flows through the ravines opened by the tectonic movement. Silfra is the most famous of these ravines, with water visibility exceeding a hundred metres. Here visitors can immerse themselves in a magical blue world and witness the incredible geology beneath the surface.

The animal life at Thingvellir is also popular amongst guests. Fishing in the lake for its trout is popular, as is birdwatching for its many species of duck, its golden plovers, and its common snipes. Arctic foxes and mink can also be found on the undergrowth and the edges of the waters.

Seeing Thingvellir and the Althing site on our Iceland tour

On our Iceland cultural and wilderness small group tour, Thingvellir is the first stop of Day 3. We leave Reykjavík for the national park, the former site of the world’s oldest parliament and a good place to learn how the movement of the continental plates shapes Iceland today. From there we drive to the Borgarfjordur region for the Hraunfossar waterfalls and the Deildartunguhver hot springs, then visit Reykholt, the homestead of Snorri Sturluson, for a lecture on Snorri, the Middle Ages and the struggle for independence. The Day 2 visit to the National Museum of Iceland in Reykjavík sets the scene, and Gullfoss and Geysir follow on Day 16. The full route is in our Iceland ring road itinerary.

Odyssey Traveller has been serving global travellers since 1983 with educational tours of the history, culture, and architecture of our destinations designed for mature travellers. We specialise in offering small group tours partnering with a local tour guide at each destination to provide a relaxed and comfortable pace and atmosphere that sets us apart from larger tour groups. Tours consist of small groups of up to 16 people and are cost inclusive of entrances, tipping and most meals. For more information, click here, and visit the tour page to make a booking.

View of the basalt rocks formation on the coastline with the beautiful houses and the Mountain Stapafell in the background at Arnarstapi village, Iceland

Articles about the Golden Circle and Iceland published by Odyssey Traveller:

The following list of articles published by Odyssey Traveller for mature travellers to maximise their knowledge and enjoyment of Iceland when visiting:

• Questions About Iceland
• Visiting Iceland for Mature Travellers
• Lunar Landscapes and Geology in Iceland
• Iceland Museum Collection
• The Vikings: Explorers, Raiders, Traders
• Icelandic Sagas and the North Atlantic: Reading the Settlement Landscape

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature travellers, click through on this link.

External articles to assist you on your visit to the Golden Circle and Iceland:

• Thingvellir–Northern Europe’s First Parliament
• 10Best: ten sides of Iceland you’ve never seen
• Inspired by Iceland: The official tourism website
• Travel + Leisure: How to travel to Iceland
• Ice, Fire and Feuds: On the Trail of Iceland’s Sagas
• Lonely Planet: Top things to do in Reykjavík