Great Giant

Mount Lómagnúpur in South Iceland, partially covered in snow, bathed in soft sunset light against a gentle lavender sky and reflecting in a small but still unfrozen section of the nearby river.

This distinctive 767m mountain was formed over 1 million years and is largely made of palagonite, with lava beds and sediment making up the base.

The mountain is of enormous cultural significance to the Icelandic people and has been extensively written about by authors and poets. One poet, Jón Helgason, in his poem Áfangar writes of the great giant Járngrímur emerging from the mountain. Járngrímur is an important cultural icon for the people of south Iceland. He is said to have acted as a guardian spirit during the earliest days of the country’s settlement, warding off potential invasions from foreign Kings. Because of this role, the giant can now be seen on Iceland’s coat of arms, iron staff in hand, alongside the three other guardian spirits who make up the North, East and West of the country.

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