Hella | |
Settlement Type: | Town |
Pushpin Map: | Iceland |
Pushpin Label Position: | right |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Iceland |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Iceland |
Subdivision Type1: | Constituency |
Subdivision Name1: | South Constituency |
Subdivision Type2: | Region |
Subdivision Name2: | Southern Region |
Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
Subdivision Name3: | Rangárþing ytra |
Population As Of: | 2019 |
Population Total: | 865 |
Timezone: | GMT |
Utc Offset: | +0 |
Coordinates: | 63.8333°N -44°W |
Postal Code Type: | Post Code |
Postal Code: | 850, 851 |
Hella (in Icelandic pronounced as /ˈhɛtla/) is a small town in southern Iceland on the shores of the river Ytri-Rangá and has, as of 2021, 942 inhabitants.[1]
Hella is situated to the east of Reykjavík on the Hringvegur (Route 1) between Selfoss and Hvolsvöllur.
The name of the town comes from caves near the river. It is said that Irish monks lived there in the times of first settlement. There are small industries as well as shops. As in other regions of the country, tourism is a growing sector. The volcano Hekla is nearby so it is possible to go hiking there as well as to make excursions to other locations popular with tourists such as Landmannalaugar or Þórsmörk. The founding of Hella started in 1927 when Þorsteinn Björnsson built a store over by the bridge Ytri-Rangá in the land of Gaddstaðaflatir. That founder of Hella was built a memorial at the celebration of Hella's 50 years since the founding of it at 1977.