The highest waterfalls in Europe: where are they, descriptions, photos. The largest waterfall in Europe

One of the most big waterfalls Europe is considered to be the Dettifoss waterfall, which is located in Iceland, and which was shown in the initial frames of the movie "Prometheus". However, this waterfall is inferior to another in full flow. Therefore, the latter is considered to be the largest European waterfall.

Meet the Rhine Falls:

It is located in the Swiss town of Neuhausen, exactly on the border with Germany. The waterfall has several viewing platforms. The main one is on a rock in the center of the waterfall itself, you can get there by boat. The second site is located on the banks of the Rhine, near the Laufen castle.

On the walls of the castle there are paintings depicting a waterfall in different years- a natural attraction has always attracted artists and poets.
Laufen Castle and the place from which we will watch the waterfall are shown on the right, at the top of the picture.

For viewing the waterfall from Laufen Castle you will be asked for money.
For free, only this is visible:

The photo above shows another Wörth castle and the place where the boat sails to the main observation deck.

After paying the established fee, you get a ticket, which you then feed to the turnstile. Walk a little up the steps and you already see this:

The waterfall is really big! It makes noise no worse than Niagara - in any case, the interlocutor is not heard nearby.

And here are the rocks on which it is located Observation deck. But I don't think it's as cool there as it is here. Then you will understand why.

So, by gardens, bypassing strong streams, the boat approaches the pier near the rock and disembarks a new batch of suicides.

The height of the waterfall is 23 meters, the width is 150 meters, the depth of the pool is 13 meters.

In summer, 600 cubic meters of water passes through this place per second. If you lived in Ulyanovsk, and the same pressure flowed from your tap, then every second you would become poorer by 10,800 rubles.
In winter, the flow rate is reduced to 4500 rubles per second, 250 m³ / s. The full-flowing record was recorded in 1965, when the waterfall spat at 1250 cubic meters per second!

It seems that the thought of a small hydroelectric power station immediately suggests itself. Yes, even in ancient times there were several watermills here. In 1944, the Swiss Parliament approved the construction of a future power plant. The permit went into effect in 1948 and construction was to begin in 1952. But in 1951, the initiative group of the New Swiss Society collected 150,000 signatures against this construction. Among the signatories were 49 well-known citizens, including Hermann Hesse and Karl Jakob Burkhard.

However, the waterfall now has a small 4.6 MW Neuhausen power plant built in 1948-51, which uses only 25 m³ / s of water, generating only 40 million kWh of electricity, while the maximum capacity of the waterfall is about 120 MW.

The waterfall has been pleasing to the human eye for 17 thousand years.
Here are pictures that clearly show the stages of the formation of the Rhine Falls by a waterfall.

Crazy interesting, isn't it?

Anyway, it's just beautiful here. Not to say that it is calm, but beautiful.

Stone steps lead down from the castle, which are interrupted observation decks at different levels.

From this one, for example, the waterfall is already visible from eye level.

And from this waterfall you can already touch it with your hand.

But the most interesting platform is this one:

If you sailed on a boat to the rock, you would be deprived of fantastic sensations. After all, the stream falls almost on you!

Only here the name of the town of Neuhausen is fully revealed...

And after the waterfall - peace and quiet for hundreds of kilometers ...

Two clickable panoramas of the Rhine Falls:

With this story, I finish the series "Eurorokatushek".
We started in Germany, then drove through France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and returned to Germany again.

On the last day we drove through the Black Forest, marveling at the beauty of the places there. saw famous watch with a cuckoo the size of real home, looked at the gardens, from the fruits of which they make amazing Kirschwasser schnapps. We decided to come there next time and live in this fairy tale for a week.

(photo not mine)

In the next post again about Spain. :) I'll show you how it looks if you drive 30 kilometers from the coast. Little has changed over the centuries. This is what attracts her.

In previous episodes.

The highest waterfall in Europe is considered to be the Dettifoss waterfall, which is located in Iceland, and which was shown in the initial frames of the movie "Prometheus". However, this waterfall is inferior to another in full flow. Therefore, the latter is considered to be the largest European waterfall.

Meet the Rhine Falls:

On the walls of the castle there are paintings depicting the waterfall in different years - a natural attraction has always attracted artists and poets.
Laufen Castle and the place from which we will watch the waterfall are shown on the right, at the top of the picture.

For viewing the waterfall from Laufen Castle you will be asked for money.
For free, only this is visible:

The photo above shows another Wörth castle and the place where the boat sails to the main observation deck.

After paying the established fee, you get a ticket, which you then feed to the turnstile. Walk a little up the steps and you already see this:

The waterfall is really big! It makes noise no worse than Niagara - in any case, the interlocutor is not heard nearby.

And here are the rocks on which the observation deck is located. But I don't think it's as cool there as it is here. Then you will understand why.

So, by gardens, bypassing strong streams, the boat approaches the pier near the rock and disembarks a new batch of suicides.

The height of the waterfall is 23 meters, the width is 150 meters, the depth of the pool is 13 meters.

The waterfall has been pleasing to the human eye for 17 thousand years.
Here are pictures that clearly show the stages of the formation of the Rhine Falls by a waterfall.

Crazy interesting, isn't it?

Anyway, it's just beautiful here. Not to say that it is calm, but beautiful.

Stone steps lead down from the castle, which are interrupted by observation platforms at different levels.

From this one, for example, the waterfall is already visible from eye level.

And from this waterfall you can already touch it with your hand.

But the most interesting platform is this one:

If you sailed on a boat to the rock, you would be deprived of fantastic sensations. After all, the stream falls almost on you!

Only here the name of the town of Neuhausen is fully revealed...

And after the waterfall - peace and quiet for hundreds of kilometers ...

Two clickable panoramas of the Rhine Falls:

With this story, I finish the series "Eurorokatushek".
We started in Germany, then drove through France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and returned to Germany again.

On the last day we drove through the Black Forest, marveling at the beauty of the places there. We saw the famous cuckoo clock the size of a real house, looked at the gardens, from the fruits of which they make amazing Kirschwasser schnapps. We decided to come there next time and live in this fairy tale for a week.

(photo not mine)

In the next post again about Spain. :) I'll show you how it looks if you drive 30 kilometers from the coast. Little has changed over the centuries. This is what attracts her.

In previous episodes.

The highest European waterfalls are located in Norway, in which 8 waterfalls are included in the 20 highest waterfalls in the world. Other European countries do not have such a huge number of waterfalls, but any local waterfall is a majestic sight.

Norway - the land of waterfalls

Due to the melting of glaciers in the highlands of Norway, waterfalls often form. Because of the height of each waterfall, disputes arise among scientists, since they are all represented by several parts or cascades. The following are considered the highest of them.

The Vinnufossen waterfall is located in the Sundall region, and its height reaches 860 m. Falling down, the cascading waterfall is divided into 4 streams, which turn into white foam along the way. Beautiful views appear in the spring and summer time when water from melted glaciers gets into it. It is fed by the waters of the Vinnu River, and flows into the Driva River.

Utigord (or Ramnefillet) waterfall also has a cascading structure and has a height of 800 m. The waterfall is fed by the waters of Ramnefillbrin, the largest arm glacier in Europe. At the end of the path, the waters of Utigord fall into Lake Lovatnet.

The Monge waterfall is located in the municipality of Rauma on the Monga River and is 774 m high. Its width reaches 75 m.

The 703 m high Espelands waterfall is located on the Opo River.

The Ostra Mardolafos waterfall, whose height is 655 m, is located on the Mardal River, like another Mardalsfossen waterfall.

The next highest waterfall is the Tissestrengene waterfall, 647 m high, fed by the waters of the Tisza River.

Another high waterfall in Norway is the 561 m high Kjell Falls. It is fed by the Gudvangen River.

The Mardalsfossen waterfall is located near the town of Nesset, on the coat of arms of which this waterfall can be seen in miniature. Its height is 468 m. It is located on the Mardal River, and then its waters fall into the lake of the Eykesdalen valley.

All Norwegian waterfalls are popular among tourists, and therefore various tours and excursion trips directly to view the majestic waterfalls.

Other tallest waterfalls in Europe

France also has a waterfall that is one of the twenty highest. It is called Gavarnier or Gavarni and is 423 m high. It originates from several sources in a national park in Spain, and at the foot of the waterfall a full-flowing mountain river Gave de Pau is formed.

Another large Zeygalan waterfall with a height of 600 m is located in North Ossetia on the river Midagrabindon. It originates in a glacier, and therefore is very dependent on the weather. Without the sun, the glacier practically does not melt and the waterfall calms down. In winter, it turns into ice growths, and in spring and summer it comes to life again.

The most famous high flat waterfalls in Europe are the Rhine Falls in Switzerland (23 m), as well as Mamanya or Big Janiskengas located in Russia. Murmansk region(20 m) and Kivach in Karelia (10.7 m).

The power of the water flow determines how deep a particular river is. This is the most important characteristic of any river. Two full-flowing rivers flow on the territory of Russia.

Full-flowing rivers of the world

The Amazon is the most full-flowing and long river in the world. In addition, it has a complex and peculiar water regime. The Amazon remains full-flowing throughout the year. From January to March, from tropical rains that fill the river, it overflows to an incredible size. When it flows into the ocean, the Amazon forms the largest delta in terms of area.

The full-flowing Congo River (Zaire) is the longest in Africa, the second in terms of water content after the Amazon. This is the only major river, which is twice.

A feature of the third longest Orinoco river is its seasonality. During the seasonal rains, the river overflows, then sharply shallows. During periods of flooding, the Orinoco threatens to wash away the surrounding villages forever.

The Yangtze (Huang He) is recognized as the longest Asian river. Four out of five freshwater lakes China is fed by the Yangtze. When it flows into the lake, this river forms a delta with an area of 80 thousand km, which is equivalent to the territory of Austria.

The Mississippi is the second largest river in America after the Amazon. It has snow and rain nutrition. Mississippi is the pride of the United States, and at 19 - early. 20th century played a paramount role as a navigable artery of this country.

The Parana River flows through several South American countries, the most big river this continent after the Amazon. Her food is mainly rain. Because of this, the water level is uneven, sometimes there are floods and floods.

The Mekong is the largest river in the Indochinese Peninsula. total area its water basin is 975 thousand km. It flows through the territory of 4 states: China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam. In China, the Mekong is called Lancangjiang. The Mekong River is full of rapids throughout its course. Of these rapids in Laos is a waterfall, which got its name from the name of the river - the Mekong. The life of the river is inextricably linked with navigation.

Large water arteries of Russia

most deep river Russia is the Yenisei. The Kirghiz in ancient times called it "mother river". The Yenisei flows through Siberia. This is enough deep river, which allows even deep-draft ships to move.

Siberian river Lena flows through Eastern Siberia and is recognized as one of the longest in the world. Falls into the North Arctic Ocean, namely in the Laptev Sea. The drainage basin of the Lena is 2.5 million sq. km. It has about 500 tributaries. Lena is of particular importance for Yakutia, as it connects it with the rest of the country. Navigation on the Lena lasts no more than 130-170 days a year, as the river freezes.

Fountain in Geneva

Jet d'Eau is recognized as the highest fountain in all of Europe (Jet d "Eau simply translates as "Jet of water"). This fountain is located on a lake with the beautiful name Leman. The fountain is one of the symbols of Geneva. It can be seen from any direction city.The height of the jet reaches 140 meters.Recently, the fountain has been continuously running all year round during the daytime, except for the season severe frosts and squally wind. The speed with which the jet of water shoots out to the sky is amazing. It is 200 km/h.

Singing fountains in Spain

This charming complex of a huge number of fountains was opened in Barcelona in 1929. The height of the longest jet of water is 54 meters. The total amount of water circulating constantly in the fountain is about 3 million liters. A distinctive feature of these fountains is the extensive color range of water illumination. They are called singing because the water seems to echo the melody playing during the operation of the fountains. These amazing fountains "give performances" for 20 minutes. The music that accompanies the work of this amazing landmark is a masterpiece of world classics. So, you can hear Bach or Beethoven. Currently, singing fountains are automated.

Trevi Fountain in Italy

In the capital of Italy, Rome, there is also a singing fountain, which was named Trevi. It is decorated with numerous sculptures. The height of this composition is 26 meters. The Italians rightfully consider their fountains to be the most beautiful in Europe. The Trevi Fountain is considered one of the oldest such complexes in the world, functioning to this day. He began his work in the middle of the XVIII century. The fountain was built in the Baroque style. It is located next to the Palazzo Poli, being part of architectural ensemble palace building

Where is the waterfall

The highest waterfall in Europe falls from Mount Vinnufjellet, at the top of which is big glacier Winnuforna. The waterfall originates from it. The waters of this giant rush down from a height of 860 meters, creating an unforgettable sight. This glacial waterfall is considered to be the central component of a large cascade formed on the rock.

The highest waterfall in Europe is located in the municipality of Sanndal, in the vicinity of the village of Sanndalsera. It's exceptionally beautiful here. untouched nature, are nearby national park Dovrefjell and the popular Troll Wall, the highest vertical wall in Europe.

beauty and coolness

Vinnufossen consists of several cascades, the height of the largest step is 420 meters. Reaching the level coniferous forest, the waterfall splits into several separate streams. Only when approaching the lower part, all the individual streams merge together again. Before splitting into four streams, maximum width Vinnufossen reaches 150 meters.

Due to falling from high altitude the highest waterfall in Europe is always surrounded by a cloud of tiny water droplets, forming a kind of water tail. Its length can reach one hundred and seventy meters, this is one of the longest plumes of waterfalls in the world.

You can already feel the smallest droplets in the air five minutes from the waterfall. As you approach, the cloud of water drops becomes denser, the water originating from the mountain glacier is cool even on a hot afternoon.

Not only in the mountains

When the word "waterfall" is habitually represented high mountains, from the slopes of which the flow of water breaks. However, this is not always the case, there are flat waterfalls, the beauty of which is no less exciting.

The largest and highest flat waterfall in Europe is located in the north of Switzerland. Its name is consonant with the name of the Rhine River, one of the decorations of which it is.

Is not big waterfall, its length is approximately 370 meters. It starts rather gently, only on the last cascades the violence of the elements begins. Usually in tourist brochures, it is the last cascades that are called the Rhine Falls.

Water falls from a height of 23 meters, in the full-flowing period, the width of the waterfall reaches 150 meters. Scientists are sure that the formation of the waterfall was completed in the last glacial period, approximately 14,000-17,000 years ago. Under the turbulent waters in the channel of the waterfall, well-preserved rock formations are clearly visible, which were once the banks of an ancient river.

For tourists seeking to see this highest waterfall in Europe, where you can take amazing photos, several viewing platforms are equipped. The most impressive one is located on a vertical rock right in the center of the waterfall. You can get to it only by boat, the views of the waterfall from this point are simply mesmerizing. For lovers thrill conduct sightseeing trips on boats that sail up to the waterfall itself.

Waterfalls of our country

One of the highest waterfalls in Europe and the highest in Russia, Talnikovy waterfall, is located on the Putorana plateau, a kind of " lost world"Siberia. These places have not yet been studied much, nature here retains its originality.

Interestingly, for a long time, scientists could not accurately measure the height of the Talnikovy waterfall, the figures ranged from 482 to 700 meters. The reason for this was the poor knowledge of the place, the waterfall was described by its discoverer Mikhail Afanasyev at a time when there was very little water in it. The water flow of the Talnikovy waterfall reaches its maximum height in summer, in July and August, it was then that it was recorded maximum height waterfall. The rest of the time it either dries up due to drought, or completely freezes from Siberian frosts.

Unique waterfalls of Ossetia

In the mountains of North Ossetia, in the valley mountain river Midagrabindon, Midagrabin waterfalls are located. On the one hand, the valley is blocked by a formidable barrier vertical rocks from which waterfalls fall down. Standing in the valley and watching eight magnificent streams of water break from the rocks is an unforgettable sight.

Among them is one of the highest waterfalls in Europe. In Ossetia, this is a multi-cascade waterfall Big Zeygalan, originating from hanging glaciers at the top. Guides ask tourists not to come close to the water wall, sometimes the elements break massive blocks of ice along with the water.

Geologists believe that the height of the water fall of this waterfall is 750 meters. Big Zeygalan is the fifth high-altitude waterfall in the world and one of the highest waterfalls in Europe.

The most full-flowing and beautiful Big Zeygalan becomes in the middle of summer, when the glaciers are intensively melting. If you visit the waterfall on a clear sunny day, you can see how the smallest droplets of mist reflect the iridescent glow.

Whatever waterfall you are going to visit, there are several general rules that will make your journey comfortable and safe.

Even in places with developed tourism infrastructure and comfortable paths, it is better to wear sports shoes with flat soles. It is always humid near the waterfalls, the surface of the rocks is wet. You also need not to be too lazy and take a warm waterproof jacket with you, mist can be quite cold.

It is better not to visit the waterfalls after heavy rains, the flow of water will be muddy and dirty, and this will not bring pleasure.

There are many waterfalls scattered around the world, and each of them has its own merits. But in Europe there are some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world - they are famous for their height, geothermal qualities or some other features. And although there are hundreds of waterfalls in Europe, this list includes the best. These are not just places where water flows down! We will show you the most picturesque waterfalls Europe.

Krka, Croatia

IN national park The waterfall Skradinski Buk is located in Krka. This cascading waterfall is popular with tourists and local residents, it is one of the most famous sights of Croatia, one might say, its calling card. Skradinski Buk consists of almost twenty individual waterfalls located on different height. But this is not the only set of waterfalls in the park. The best way get acquainted with them - organize a boat trip on the river. And by the way: unlike the Plitvice Lakes, you can swim here!

Langfossen, Norway

When it comes to the highest waterfalls in Europe, Norway definitely leads the way. Here are the five highest waterfalls on the continent. Vinnufossen is considered the highest waterfall in Europe, but Langfossen is more impressive. This is probably because many of the waterfalls in Norway are used to generate electricity, and Langfossen flows freely from high cliffs. Here you can do beautiful pictures with a fjord in the foreground. Several picturesque villages are scattered along the banks of the fjord.

Rhine Falls, Switzerland

Although the Rhine Falls are not as tall as others, they make up for this with their width. The waterfalls are scattered along the river for almost 150 meters, and in summer, given the snowmelt in the areas located upstream, a huge amount of water flows down the waterfalls. It's best to get familiar with it. natural wonder from a boat on the river Rhine. Along the way, you can also see the nearby castles of Wörth and Laufen. There are several viewing platforms on both banks of the river.

Terme di Saturnia, Italy

This geothermal waterfall, located near the village of Saturnia, has been popular with bathers since Roman times. Take a dip in its waters and you will follow in the footsteps of many nobles. There are several waterfalls in the area, including Molino (located near the old windmills) and Gorello. In some places you have to pay to enter. But mostly take a dip in the warm water and admire beautiful scenery can be free. What could be better rest V warm waters in the middle of mesmerizing Tuscany?

Glufrafoss, Iceland

There is nothing more mysterious than a waterfall flowing into a cave. Visiting it is not for those who suffer from claustrophobia: in order to see this miracle, you need to go down a narrow crack in the rock. But once you're inside the cave, you'll be shocked by the falling water that seems to come out of nowhere. About halfway to the waterfall there is an observation deck from which the waterfall is visible from the other side. And don't forget waterproof shoes!

Bigar waterfall, Romania

It enjoys well-deserved popularity because it is one of the most unusual and impressive waterfalls in the world. Water jets flow around a conical ledge rock covered with bright green moss. Here they split into hundreds of smaller streams that flow down into the river. The effect of this waterfall is that the water creates a kind of shimmering veil around the rock. When you look at the waterfall, you can go up and see a cave from which water flows. Pay Special attention on shoes, because the path can be a bit slippery.

Waterfall on the river Pliva, Bosnia and Herzegovina

What is behind the waterfall really makes it very impressive. Of course, the huge cascades are impressive on their own, but behind the waterfall you can see the city of Yajce. He climbs high up the hill. It has a lot historical buildings and fortifications, and crowns it ancient fortress XIV century. If you go down the river from the waterfall, you can see smaller waterfalls, next to which there are ancient windmills. Some of them belong to the end of the 19th century, to the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today they are not used, but were once very important for the locals. And now they just decorate the neighborhood.

Waterfall in Parc de Saint-Pont, France

The Parc des Saint-Ponce is located in the south of France, about half an hour from Marseille. The waterfall is away from hiking trail and it will take an hour or two to get there. However, this is a must! A wide cascade of streams flows down the mossy cliffs and falls into the river. But not only a beautiful waterfall is interesting here. Nearby is the Cistercian abbey de Saint-Pont, which functioned from the beginning of the 13th century, but was abandoned in the 15th century. This means that it still stands relatively intact and unchanged to this day.

Gullfoss, Iceland

Gullfoss, or the Golden Falls of Iceland, is an impressive sight. The water comes from the Lángjökull glacier, and the name of the waterfall comes from the color of the water when it flows in the sun. This is a three-level cascade of waterfalls. All of them are of impressive height and width, and given the sharp turn of the river between the upper and lower waterfalls, a spectacle of incredible beauty opens up. There was a lot of talk about placing a hydroelectric power station here, but things didn’t go beyond talk, and the waterfalls still flow freely.

Gasadalur, Faroe Islands

You probably didn't intend to visit Faroe islands during his trip to Europe. But these few islands located between mainland Europe and Iceland are incredibly beautiful. Less than fifty people live in the village of Gasadalur, although the infrastructure is well developed and there are roads. Waterfalls cascading from high cliffs, the village and mountains in the background are an amazing sight! This picture is even displayed on postage stamps.