Dverghamrar: The Dwarf Rocks near Foss á Síðu
At Dverghamrar, look beyond the upright basalt columns. The rock above them has a blockier, cube-jointed structure. That contrast is the useful detail to notice here: the upper rock is not simply a pavement of exposed column ends.
Two rock patterns in one view
Cooling lava contracts and fractures into columns. Visit South Iceland’s Dverghamrar record identifies cube-jointed basalt above them and describes wave erosion at a time of higher sea level near the end of the Ice Age as a likely influence on the present landform. The wording is a geological interpretation, not an exact date for its formation.
The same source identifies Dverghamrar as a protected natural monument. Observe the layers from the visitor route and leave the rock in place.
Finding the stop on Route 1
Dverghamrar is just east of Foss. Use the regional map linked above for the destination and the signs on site for the entrance. The nearby Foss á Síðu waterfall is a separate stop; seeing a waterfall from the road does not establish permission to cross the surrounding land.
Compare it with the “Church Floor”
At Kirkjugólf, the interest is the polygon pattern seen from above. At Dverghamrar, it is the vertical structure and the change in rock texture above it. This comparison gives you something specific to examine if you visit both.
Planning help
Questions before you go
Quick answers with safety notes where it matters.
What makes Dverghamrar different from other basalt sites?
Look for two forms: upright columns below and cube-jointed basalt above. Visit South Iceland distinguishes the upper layer from the column formation beneath it.
What does Dverghamrar mean?
The name is commonly translated as Dwarf Rocks. That name is not geological evidence; the columns formed as lava cooled and contracted.
Where is Dverghamrar?
The formation is beside Route 1, just east of Foss in South Iceland. The regional destination record includes a map; follow the visitor access shown on site.
Compare Iceland’s basalt formations
Country reference: Iceland statistics.