“Dimmuborgir's lava towers formed when steam built hollow chimneys in a lava lake, then the molten rock drained away and left the pillars standing like a ruined castle.”
About Dimmuborgir
The lava field formed roughly 2,300 years ago when a large eruption sent molten rock over a marsh or pond. The water flashed to steam, rose through the lava in vents, and chilled hollow columns around itself. As the surrounding lava drained toward Myvatn, the standing pillars remained. Folklore later made it the lair of trolls and the Yule Lads.
What Dimmuborgir is
Dimmuborgir, the 'Dark Castles', is a sprawling field of strange lava formations near Lake Myvatn in north Iceland: pillars, arches and hollow towers of black rock that rise from the ground like the ruins of a fortress. Walking trails wind through the labyrinth, past collapsed lava tubes and a natural arched chamber known as Kirkjan, 'the Church'.
Walking trails wind through the labyrinth, past collapsed lava tubes and a natural arched chamber known as Kirkjan, 'the Church'.
How the Castles Formed
The formations were created around 2,300 years ago when a lava lake pooled over wet ground. Steam rising through the molten rock built hollow pillars around itself, and when the still-liquid lava later drained away, these chimneys were left standing as the eerie towers seen today. In folklore, Dimmuborgir is the home of the Yule Lads, Iceland's thirteen mischievous Christmas figures, and the troll Gryla.
The Experience
You wander marked trails through a maze of black towers and arches, ducking under formations and into the Kirkjan arch, a tall natural vault that gives the spot its 'church' name. The shapes invite the imagination, which is why locals peopled it with trolls. It also served as a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Why It Matters
Dimmuborgir is one of the clearest places to read how Iceland's lava landscapes are built and then hollowed out, and its folklore ties it to the country's distinctive Christmas tradition of the thirteen Yule Lads. It is a centrepiece of any tour of the Myvatn area.
Why Visit
Walk it for a genuinely strange lava labyrinth, the Kirkjan arch, deep folklore and a Game of Thrones filming location, all on easy marked trails near Myvatn.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Follow the marked loops; the easy Church Circle reaches the Kirkjan arch.
- 2
Combine it with Hverir, the Myvatn baths and Krafla on a single area day.
- 3
In summer, expect midges near the lake; a head net is useful.
