The Blue Lagoon was created accidentally by the condense outlet water from the power station in Svartsengi. They where going to “give the water back” to the lava field and the water was supposed to disappear into the permeable lava field. But since it’s so rich in minerals and salt it soon stuffed up the hole in the lava and the lagoon was formed. It where the young people in the area who started to come and swim in the warm water and in relatively short time it became the most frequented tourist attraction of the country.
Soon after people started bathing in the lagoon the healing properties of the brine were discovered by those, who suffer from skin diseases, such as psoriasis. Since then an increasing number of patients from all over the world has enjoyed the relief the chemical composition of the water gives. Native patients, who need treatments at the Blue Lagoon, are covered by their social insurance, which means that the authorities have acknowledged the results of the chemical analysis of the water carried out in the nineties. In 1999 new facilities were opened for visitors and a man made lagoon with constant renewal of the 37°C warm water was created. In order to have the new lagoon form as quickly a possible the lave was covered with sand so the water would drip slower in to the lava and the minerals could stuff in sooner. The lava field around the Blue Lagoon is considered to be young lava in flowed over this area in 1286.
Soon after people started bathing in the lagoon the healing properties of the brine were discovered by those, who suffer from skin diseases, such as psoriasis. Since then an increasing number of patients from all over the world has enjoyed the relief the chemical composition of the water gives. Native patients, who need treatments at the Blue Lagoon, are covered by their social insurance, which means that the authorities have acknowledged the results of the chemical analysis of the water carried out in the nineties. In 1999 new facilities were opened for visitors and a man made lagoon with constant renewal of the 37°C warm water was created. In order to have the new lagoon form as quickly a possible the lave was covered with sand so the water would drip slower in to the lava and the minerals could stuff in sooner. The lava field around the Blue Lagoon is considered to be young lava in flowed over this area in 1286.
