Sunday hikers visit the site of an eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland on … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
You might not be able to pronounce Iceland’s newest erupting volcano at Fagradalsfjall, but you could potentially own a chunk of it.
According to Icelandic media reports, the area of the eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula west of the capital Reykjavik is on private land owned by a landowners association of about 20 individuals.
The association chairman Sigurður Guðjón Gíslason told Visir the group has received inquiries from realtors and other interested parties with a few offers already on the table.
“This must be the hottest land in the country right now,” he quipped, adding that the group is ready to sell for the right price.
The eruption began in March and has continued for weeks, sometimes sending remarkable fountains of lava into the sky over the largely empty landscape.
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The site has attracted a significant amount of hikers, sightseers, picnickers and even the occasional volleyball game set against the dramatic background.
Sunday hikers, Florine Boucher-Locatelli (L), Pauline Raphanel (C) and Émilie Saint-Mleux (R) pose … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
Gislason confirmed that the interest in purchasing the land has come since the eruption began, suggesting potential buyers may be interested in capitalizing on the tourism potential.
Meanwhile, the land owners are investigating improvements to the site, including improved trails, parking and possibly even a new road to greatly reduce the hours of hiking currently required to reach the eruption.
An estimated 75,000 people have visited the site in recent weeks.