Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa)

Salt-water lake; Use as a thermal swimming pool ( temperature of about 37 to 42 ° C)

The Bláa Lónið ( German Blue Lagoon) is a thermal spa at Grindavík on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland. It is located near the capital of Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport and is a tourist attraction in south-western Iceland.

Saltwater lake and Thermal

The lake was created as a "waste product" of the nearby geothermal power Svartsengi that uses the energy of the volcanic system of the same name. There is a mixture of sea and fresh water is pumped from a depth of about 2000 meters, which is hot in this depth up to 240 ° C to the surface where it is used to generate electricity and operate a district heating network. Then it flows into the surrounding lava field. Thus, there formed a salt water lake in the typical blue - white color that comes from diatoms. First, the local people came up with the idea to bathe in it, until finally the spa was built. This pumps now also own thermal water from the earth. A special attraction was bathing in the winter time.

The water in the thermal bath has a temperature of about 37 to 42 ° C and contains mineral salts, silica and algae. The lake has an area of ​​about 5000 square meters.

Silica produced the blue color: It reflects mainly blue rays in the sunshine.

Bathing in this water relieves recognized as psoriasis ( psoriasis) and other skin diseases. In addition to the thermal baths and saunas, massages and steam baths are offered and manufactured a range of beauty products from the salts and algae in the water.

The bathroom was awarded the Icelandic Environment Prize 1999. Due to the ever increasing number of visitors, it was further expanded by the end of January 2008. Architect of the entire system is Sigríður Sigþórsdóttir.

Geology and water

The lava field Illahraun in which the spa is located is 1226 emerged. Illahraun in Icelandic means "Lava of Secrets ", a name that comes from the fact that the lava is so rugged that it was virtually impassable for humans. The water used here consists of about 30 percent of freshwater seepage and to 70 percent of inflowing seawater from the nearby coast. The salt content is about 2.5 percent. The water is heated by the residual heat of the magma in about 2000 feet of water to 240 ° C. The exact composition of the dissolved constituents is:

• Silicic acid: 251 mg / kg
• Sodium: 7,643 mg / kg
• Potassium: 1,177 mg / kg
• Calcium: 1,274 mg / kg
• Magnesium: 0.6 mg / kg
• Carbon dioxide: 11.4 mg / kg
• Sulfate: 31.8 mg / kg
• Chloride: 15,740 mg / kg
• Fluoride: 0.18 mg / kg
• Total: 25,800 mg / kg

In seawater live 200 algae species, including 60 percent of previously unknown species. The water is renewed approximately every 40 hours.

Clinic and Research Center

Away from the outdoor swimming pool about 500 meters to the thermal power plant, a hospital complex with 15 double rooms with private outdoor swimming area was also built especially for the treatment of psoriasis. The treatment was approved by the Icelandic, Danish and Faroese health authorities.

Between this hospital and the power plant is a research center was built, in which the soluble components and algae are separated to produce various care products also out of the water.

Bláa Lónið

The bathroom in the winter

Restaurant and bathhouse