The bridge
About 15 m.
G.Mannaerts — CC BY-SA 4.0 · No machine-readable author provided. Reykholt assumed (based on copyright claims). — CC BY-SA 3.0 · VillageHero from Ulm, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ainars Brūvelis — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Bridge Between Continents is a small footbridge over a fissure on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland, about 13 km in a straight line south of Keflavík International Airport and 47 km south-west of Reykjavík. It crosses a rift called Álfagjá, part of the boundary between the Eurasian and North American plates, which are slowly pulling apart by about 2 cm a year. The bridge is about 15 m long and symbolises walking between the continents, although the real boundary between the plates is a wide zone of fissures rather than a single line. Visitors walk down steps to the floor of the rift, covered in black sand, cross the bridge above it and read panels explaining the area's geology. Other volcanic sights are scattered across the peninsula, among them the Gunnuhver hot springs, Reykjanes lighthouse and the sea cliffs. The bridge is free to visit and makes an easy stop on the way to or from the airport. Check local volcanic activity notices for Reykjanes before going, as roads are sometimes closed.
About 15 m.
Black sand.
Hot springs nearby.
Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
It is symbolic; the boundary is a wide zone of fissures.
They sometimes close due to volcanic activity.