Two dragons kiss in South East Iceland
The two dragons in Staðarfell kiss. Iceland Monitor/ RAX
Öræfasveit, a region known as the land between the sands, hides a multitude of natural wonders. One of them, Staðarfjall mountain, was formed by two dragons according to local folklore.
In the tale, the two dragons were so enamoured by each other that they lost track of time, only to turn to stone at sunrise at the top of the mountain.
Historically, this region was one of the most isolated in Iceland. The name Öræfi means "wilderness" as it was framed by two glacial rivers.
After these events the region was simply called Öræfi ("wilderness/desolation").
Historically, the region was very isolated since two large rivers hindered access from both from the east and west. This isolation continued until the Ring Road in 1967 and the consequent Skeiðarárbridge which opened in 1974. The bridge is the longest bridge in Iceland.
Skeiðarárbrú is the longest bridge in Iceland. mbl.is/RAX
