New information has come to light regarding the destruction of Rauðhólar, or the Red Hills, a natural area of craters by Elliðavatn lake in the capital area.
Originally, some 80 of these craters stood on the edge of Reykjavík, but their numbers have decreased due to gravel mining. Previously, it had been believed that the British military levelled much of this area for construction material during the Second World War, with some calling this one of Iceland’s first natural disasters of the modern era. However, recent evidence reported by Vísir shows that aerial photographs taken of the area taken shortly after the war prove that this is not the case.
Friðþór Eydal, an author interested in the activities of the British army during the war years, said in a statement to Vísir: “Mining had already begun here before the British started their construction of the Reykjavík airport.” The city of Reykjavík, according to Friðþór, had begun using the site for gravel in road construction before the British arrived.
Much material for the construction of the Reykjavík airport came from Öskjuhlíð, the hillside now home to Perlan, and also Fífuhvammur in Kópavogur. There was indeed gravel from Rauðhólar utilised in the construction of the Reykjavík airport, but the British also took careful records of the amounts removed.
According to Friðþór, the 95,000 cubic metres taken by the British army can’t account for the total damage done to the Rauðhólar area. Additionally, the new photographic evidence taken in 1946 still shows the area as largely in tact.
The largest part of Rauðhólar then must have been taken after the war, by the city of Reykjavík itself.
The area was mined for gravel up until 1961, when it was given protected status.
