Though only 100m wide, and just 45m high, Dettifoss currently reigns as the most powerful waterfall in Europe — 500 cubic meters (96,500 gallons) of water per second. The spray of the waterfall, visible a kilometer away in all directions, forms vibrant double rainbows across the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum, which flows through a black gorge of jagged, columnar basalt.
Dettifoss means, literally, “Waterfall,” though over the years it has collected other names, such as “The Beast” and “The Raging Waterfall.” It provided the opening backdrop for Ridley Scott’s movie, Prometheus, and is the namesake of a musical piece, written by the Iceland composer, Jón Leifs.