Bridge Between Continents
Brúin milli heimsálfa
Region: Reykjanes PeninsulaCoordinates: 63.8683° N, 22.6754° W
A roughly 15-metre footbridge near Sandvík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, built in 2002 to span a fissure marking the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. The Reykjanes Peninsula sits directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the plates here are drifting apart at an average rate of about 2 cm per year, in episodic bursts rather than continuously.
Plan the stop
- Who it suits
- All ages
- Short, mostly flat walk suitable for all ages, though young children should be supervised near the tectonic fissure and any cracked ground.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair · Partial
- A paved/boardwalk path runs from the car park to the bridge and is passable for wheelchairs, though it has a slight incline and the remote site has no staff on hand; surface conditions can vary with weather and recent seismic ground cracking nearby.
- Limited mobility · Partial
- The walk is short, but wind, uneven ground near the fissure, and remote conditions can make it harder than an urban stop.
- Sensory · Partial
- A simple outdoor stop, but the site is exposed to strong wind and weather, and recent seismic cracking nearby can add visual and supervision stress.
- Cognitive · Full
- A single short route from parking to bridge with a clear landmark and simple return.
Why it matters
The bridge itself is a modern, purpose-built symbol of continental drift rather than a historic structure, but it sits within a landscape shaped by the same rifting that has produced Reykjanes's lava fields and fissures for millennia. Visitors who cross it can obtain a certificate confirming they "walked from Europe to America."
More photos
Sign at the Bridge Between Continents marking the mid-point between the two plates.