Volcano · Iceland
Hekla
Medieval Europeans called it the gateway to hell.
Status right now
No current reports
Hekla is not in the latest Smithsonian weekly report or the GDACS volcano alerts. That usually means it is quiet, but not every change is reported straight away. For official alerts, follow the local volcano observatory.
Checked 5 Nov 2026, 00:33 UTC.
Key facts
- Country
- Iceland
- Region
- Europe
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Summit
- 1,490 m (4,888 ft)
- Coordinates
- 63.983° N, 19.666° W
- Smithsonian number
- 372070
What kind of volcano is it?
Hekla is a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is a tall, steep cone built from layers of lava, ash and rock from many eruptions. Its sticky magma traps gas, so eruptions are often explosive, with ash columns and fast-moving pyroclastic flows.
Eruption history
| Date | VEI | Deaths | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug 1980 | 3 | – | – |
| 5 May 1970 | 3 | – | – |
| 2 Nov 1947 | 4 | 1 | – |
| 2 Sept 1845 | 4 | – | – |
| 5 Apr 1766 | 4 | – | – |
| 13 Feb 1693 | 4 | – | tsunami |
| 15 May 1636 | 3 | – | – |
| 3 Jan 1597 | 4 | – | – |
| 25 Jul 1510 | 4 | 1 | – |
| 15 Oct 1510 | 4 | – | – |
| 1 Dec 1389 | 3 | – | – |
| 19 May 1341 | 3 | – | – |
| 11 Jul 1300 | 4 | 600 | – |
| 4 Dec 1206 | 2 | – | – |
| 19 Jan 1158 | 4 | – | – |
| 15 Oct 1104 | 5 | – | – |
16 significant eruptions near Hekla in NOAA's Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database, which lists eruptions that caused deaths, damage or a tsunami, or were VEI 6 or larger. VEI is the Volcanic Explosivity Index, from 0 to 8.
Nearby volcanoes
- EyjafjallajökullIceland · 39 km
- KatlaIceland · 48 km
- GrímsvötnIceland · 123 km
- BárðarbungaIceland · 126 km
- Reykjanes PeninsulaIceland · 137 km
- Campi FlegreiItaly · 3,370 km
Not an official warning service. In an emergency, follow your local authorities.