The capital of Greenland, Nuuk, is located 240 km from the Arctic Circle. Once upon a time in its place there were only small settlements, but in the 9th century the Scandinavian colonists arrived and settled here firmly. Officially, the year 1728 is considered the year of the city’s creation. Then he also had the name Gothob, which means "good hope" in translation from Danish. A little later (in 1979), Greenland gained autonomy, in connection with which the city was renamed Nuuk.
In recent years, tourism has developed significantly in the capital. Thanks to the established infrastructure, travelers feel comfortable here even in the coldest weather and can fully enjoy the amazing nature of the snowy lands.
Flora and fauna
A remarkable fact is that the city of Nuuk (Greenland) is located in the fjord, which has the name of Good Hope and is considered the largest in the Labrador Sea. In the summer, its coastal greenery creates a charming contrast to the incredible icebergs, which take the most outlandish forms.
The waters near the fjord are also home to many fish and marine mammals. For example, whales have as many as 15 species, while three species - beluga, narwhal, and Greenland whale - prefer not to leave Greenland during the wintering season, and visitors can once again admire their greatness.
sights
Tourists are attracted to the city not only by the opportunity to see the whales, but also by unique sights. One of them is a sculpture of the Mother of the Sea. It is located on the beach, but you can see it completely only at low tide.
In Nuuk, every visitor can spend time with interest in visiting museums. They feature many fascinating exhibits. The Greenland National Museum, for example, stores mummies discovered once in the north of the island. For tourists, a collection of ancient artifacts of Nuuk and Greenland as a whole is available. Traditional tapestries are also presented there, which were woven from animal hair and then painted with plant colors.
Katouac
Special attention is drawn to such an attraction of the capital as the cultural center "Katouac", the opening of which took place in 1997. The center has an unusual shape, which in many ways resembles a wave. In its design, the designers were inspired by the northern lights.
In the evening, townspeople and tourists come to the building to look at the light performances arranged on its facade. Inside the Katouac there is a library, an art school, an exhibition complex, several conference rooms and cafes, and the Institute of Polar Explorers. In addition to all of the above, in the center is the only movie theater in all of Greenland.
Other attractions of Nuuk are the Museum of Art, the city treasury building and the home of the founder of the city, Hans Egede. In the Museum of Art you can see many works by Greenland artists, go on excursions, during which they will talk about the development of art on the northern island and about its entire history. The Treasury building is beautifully decorated with incredibly large tapestries, and the Egede house is currently the seat of the country's government.
Sport
There are a lot of opportunities in the capital so that winter leisure is suitable for all tourists. You can ride a dog team, go mountain climbing, visit the center for snowboarding, skiing, sledding. In the summer and autumn seasons, helicopter tours, whale safaris and all kinds of hikes become available.
Gastronomic tourism
Regardless of the time of year, the doors are open for tourists to all establishments of national cuisine of Greenland. Naturally, the most popular are seafood, which lend themselves to all kinds of processing:
- sluggishness;
- drying;
- baking;
- frying, etc.
On the menu you can see many delicacies, such as eggs of seabirds, shark meat. Unusual for foreigners seem to be raw seafood dishes. If someone does not want to eat all this, then it will be quite easy to find an institution with a common kitchen.
Ultimately, it should be noted that getting to Nuuk (Greenland), the photo of which you can see in the article, is not easy, but everyone who can do this will remember for a long time the beauty of Greenland nature, its frosty freshness and the charm of the northern lights.