Steven was immensely relieved that there was no need for him to get up early the morning that our Sarfaq Ittuk ferry arrived in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, as the ferry was in port for more than 12 hours. That's compared to less than an hour at the previous stops at small settlements up the west coast. Not only was the foggy, chilly weather no inducement to rush off and explore Nuuk quite yet, but Steven and I were due to return to Nuuk for a couple of nights at the end of our trip.
Once off the ferry, Steven and I couldn't help but notice Statsraad Lehmkuhl, the large Norwegian tall ship that was moored next to us. The One Ocean Expedition 2025-2026 was on a one-year journey, traveling to three continents, 24 ports, and covering 30,000 nautical miles, including a historic transit through the Northwest Passage. Coinciding with the UN Ocean Decade, its goal was ocean research, education, sail training, and diplomacy. Several legs of the voyage were open to the public, even for those with no sailing experience required! Doesn't their trip sound like the dream of a lifetime for some people?
With no taxis or public transportation in sight, we began the fairly long walk into Nuuk, where more than 80% of the 20,000 population were of Inuit descent. The city was the fastest-growing region in the country, with more than a third of the country's population. Within just a few minutes' walk of the port, we saw evidence of the construction boom taking place in the capital.
Nuuk, the world's most northerly capital city, is located approximately 155 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Meaning 'tip' in Greenlandic, it is so named because of its location on a rocky promontory at the world's second-largest fjord system. Nuuk Fjord stretches approximately 100 miles inland from the Labrador Sea, an arm of the North Atlantic, to the ice sheet. There is only one other tiny settlement in the entire fjord system, Kapisillit, which is only accessible by boat or helicopter.
A covered bus stop near some higher-rise buildings, the first we'd seen since arriving in Greenland about a week earlier:
There are no roads in or out of Nuuk - a 12-minute drive from the city center would literally bring you to the end of the road! Everything in Nuuk must arrive by boat or plane, unless it was hunted or caught in the fjord.
Few of the graves were marked with any identifying features, except for simple white wooden crosses. The graves were mounded because
the ground is often too frozen for digging.
I was pleasantly surprised by some of the avant-garde architecture
A grocery store in the center of Nuuk had an excellent selection of baked goodies, so we bought some to enjoy while we walked around.
I have 'a thing' for tote bags, but I couldn't justify spending 200 DKK, or $30, on this one that sported part of the country's flag on it.
The city center was small and had one pedestrianized street, Imaneq, with several nearby attractions.
After reading about Dooit Design, Greenland's only glass workshop, which was established a dozen years ago, I was curious to see the shop, just a few feet from where Steven sat.
After the raw glass arrives in hand-rolled sheets from the US, each piece is cut out by hand and fired in the glass kilns at around 800 degrees for between 20 and 24 hours by the mother-daughter owners. They use hydropower, a 'green' electricity, to create a flat plate of fused glass. If it needs to be shaped into bowls or dishes, it returns to the kiln at a slightly lower temperature for the same amount of time again.
In between other customers, I spoke at some length with Christa, one of the shop's employees. When she noticed that I was immediately drawn to the beautiful glass boat (in the second picture), a much smaller version of another in the shop, she explained that it was an umiak, a boat used exclusively by women and children when they moved from one destination to another. The men, Christa explained, traveled by kayak. Notice the buns the women are wearing. Christa said the women "feel extra special and beautiful when they put their hair up like that."
I bought a couple of small glass items that I liked, but didn't love. But they were easy to wrap up and would be safe in my bag. Steven persuaded me that the umiak was too impractical to take with us, too cumbersome, and so on - all of which were true, at this stage of our trip. Plus, after all, we could return to Dooit Design and buy something bigger on our return to Nuuk if I still had my heart set on it.
Further down the mall was a large sculpture of playful seals. It was one of the nineteen pieces that comprised the Nuuk Art Walk.
The modern Katuaq Cultural Centre was inspired by the Northern Lights and the surrounding landscape. Standing in the middle of cosmopolitan Nuuk, savoring an espresso or latte, with a good cell phone signal and WiFi, it was easy to forget how secluded we were!
Walking to Old Nuuk and the picturesque Colonial Harbor, we came across the Inussuk sculpture, created by artist Niels Motfeldt to commemorate the start of Greenland's self-governance on June 21, 2009.
Nuuk History: The oldest part of Nuuk overlooks the Nuuk Fjord. It was here that Hans Egede established the Godthåb colonial settlement in 1728, after arriving from Norway with three ships, 45 other colonists, and some portable houses. Norway was then part of the Kingdom of Denmark. After many difficult years dealing with scurvy, smallpox, and the resistance of the nomadic Inuit hunters, who used the area as a seasonal settlement and were reluctant to convert to Christianity, Egede returned to Denmark. However, his elder sons stayed and continued his work. After Moravian missionaries arrived in 1733 and successfully converted an influential Inuit shaman to Christianity, they established a string of missions along the west coast that were run from Nuuk.
For centuries, Nuuk was regarded as merely another whaling and trading settlement. Though it became Greenland's capital in 1950, it wasn't until 1979 that it officially changed its name back to the Inuit Nuuk from the Danish Godthåb. With the Danes interested in exploiting both fishing and mining opportunities in the area, Danish investment in Nuuk increased significantly in the 1950s. The Danes were concerned about the shortage of labor for the mining and fish-processing factories, as the Inuit were in danger of dying from malnutrition due to seals becoming increasingly challenging to hunt. The Danish solution was to resettle hunters in town, providing them with modern housing, access to healthcare, and education for themselves and their families.
The 'solution' sounded eerily akin to the reservations established by the American government for Indigenous Americans. No longer were the Inuit a nomadic people. The housing that was built was designed by and for Danes, not Inuit, with nowhere to store fishing equipment, outdoor clothing, or even the day's catch. Men whose lives had previously been determined by their needs, the seasons, and the weather, were now required to show up at specific times for factory shifts. Many men and their families had never used money before.
We spent a considerable amount of time in a former warehouse from 1936 that had been converted into the Greenland National Museum and Archives. However, I'll save that for a separate post, as it was not only the country's first museum, but also still the largest and most impressive one in Greenland.
As we strolled through the quiet streets of the Colonial Harbor and then along the quay, it was easy to imagine life a hundred years ago, looking out to sea, trying to spot the first supply ship of the summer, or one's husband or brother returning in their kayaks.
Near the shore was a monument dedicated to Arnarulunnguaq, a Greenlandic Inuit woman who was a crucial member of the Fifth Thule Expedition, led by Knud Rasmussen, from 1921 to 1924. The expedition traveled over 11,000 miles by dog sled across the Arctic regions of Greenland and Alaska. She contributed significantly to the expedition's success by assisting with cooking, clothing, collecting specimens, and making drawings of Inuit women's tattoos. A plaque said, "Without you, the journey will not end."
We decided to wait on our return to Nuuk to treat ourselves to a walk along the Nuuk Boardwalk.
I had hoped to see whalebones and driftwood outside the Kayak Clubhouse, but I didn't spot any. They would be used to build and repair traditional kayaks
A sign in the workshop described how the first beads in Greenland were thin and round, made of soapstone. Later, bone, teeth, wood, and fish vertebrae were used to make beads. Glass beads arrived in Greenland during the 17th century, when they were bartered for teeth, skins, and tusks with whalers. Small beads were introduced after 1721, when women began using them as decorative elements on their clothing made from animal skins.
I read that people can come in twice a week to prepare their sealskins in an adjoining room, and that the women make costumes to rent.
While Steven waited out in the sun, I toured the tiny workshop by myself. Because of its size and the fact that the women spoke very limited English, it was an unsatisfying experience, with my gaining little knowledge. I saw what I thought were patterns on one wall, but little other evidence of their handiwork.
Nearby were racks to hang animal skins to dry.
After the generally miserable weather throughout our two weeks exploring most of Iceland, being able to sit in the sun and have lunch in Nuuk's Colonial Harbor was glorious!
At the far end of the quay was the Nuuk Local Museum, housed in an old colonial boatyard building below. Once again, we decided to postpone our visit until our return.
Summertime in Nuuk!
Just a stone's throw from the bathing beauties was the Goddess of the Sea, also known as the Mother of the Sea and Sassuma Arnaa in Greenlandic. According to Inuit mythology, when an Inuit breaks a taboo in society, the Mother of the Sea’s hair gets filthy. She entangles the animals, preventing the hunters from catching any food. The shaman must then travel over the horizon to the bottom of the ocean to clean her hair and to release the animals. He must speak with her to determine which taboos were broken and convey these lessons back to society.
We could see that in this statue, she was surrounded by all the creatures that the Inuit hunted to survive: the walrus, seal, fish, and polar bear, plus the shaman combing those beings out of her hair. The statue reminded us of the smaller and less impressive Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
At the opposite end of the Colonial Harbor was Nuuk's Church of Our Saviour. It was built in 1849, but its clock tower and steeple were added in 1884. The wooden Lutheran church was only awarded cathedral status one hundred years later, in 1994. Like other churches we'd tried to enter in southern Greenland, it was also closed. I'd have liked to admire its white wooden paneling, the candles at the end of each pew, and the chandeliers hanging over the aisle, interspersed with two votive ships. I am sure that the latter must have been the focus of many anxious seamen's families over the years.
Views behind the church:
On the approach to the church was a monument dedicated to Jonathan Petersen (1881–1961), a Greenlandic composer, poet, and cultural figure. He composed the music for Greenland's national anthem, Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit.
High above the church beside the harbor stood another monument, honoring Hans Egede, dressed as a Lutheran preacher, who established the Godthåb colonial settlement.
We had panoramic views across the fjord, to the islands and peninsula beyond, as well as of the charming old harbor community.
Judging by what I could see of the flag, this was the Norwegian embassy.
I found the number of monuments in Greenland to be staggering, particularly considering its small population. This one in Nuuk's Colonial Harbor honored Prince Frederik IX, later King Frederik IX of Denmark, from 1947 to 1972.
I had to use Google Lens to learn that this building was the Grønlands Seminarium, also known as Ilinniarfissuaq, which is Greenlandic for "the great place of learning." The oldest educational institution in Greenland, established initially to train teachers and catechists, was founded in 1845. Considered an important symbol of Nuuk, it is featured on the city's flag and coat of arms.
Wow, lucky us, yet another monument, not five minutes away from the prince's!
The fellow walking up the street was Vadims, a Latvian we'd first encountered a few days earlier in Qaqortok while we were all searching for the Man and Stone sculptures. After also seeing him on the ferry, we kept running into him again here in Nuuk, as there are only so many things to see and do in the capital city!
As we headed back to the center of Nuuk, we viewed a sculpture of Kaassassuk, a character from Greenlandic mythology, created by Greenlandic artist Simon Kristoffersen. The figure was from a legend about a weak, bullied orphan who gains incredible strength after wrestling with a spirit.
Views of the Katuaq Cultural Center that we'd passed earlier:
Greenland's only movie theater was located in the center, although films are occasionally shown in one other town!
Next to the glass shop I'd liked so much earlier was Qiviut, a local store selling soft knitwear made of the downy-soft underwool from the Arctic musk ox, described as being eight times warmer than wool and extraordinarily lightweight. As an avid knitter, I made a beeline for its exquisite yarns, but the prices were eye-watering!
In addition to its Art Walk, Nuuk boasts a noteworthy collection of murals in the city center.
On our way back to the ferry via a local artists' cooperative, I was again struck by some intriguing architectural gems.
Located in Nuuk's industrial area, the Ajagaq Workshop included 20 workshops spread over two floors. We'd hoped to look at and possibly buy some tupilaks, the ancestors' spirits that were invoked for protection from, or to cause injury to one's energy. Images of tupilaks adorned the building's exterior.
Though the building was still open, no work was being done.
The plaque indicated the building was the American consulate. I can't imagine it was still in use, given its small size, and considering the current president's fondness for large things!
After a long day spent discovering some of Nuuk's most enjoyable sights and narrowing down what we wanted to see more of on our return in ten days, Steven and I were happy to return to the ferry for two more nights up Greenland's west coast.
Next post: Nuuk's Greenland National Museum and Archives.
Posted on October 6th, 2025, from our home in Denver, where I hope you and your loved ones are well.
It must have been tough to leave behind the gorgeous glass sculpture of the women and children in the umiak , all clad in vivid "joyful" colours. I, like you, loved it. And the large outdoor sculpture of the seals at play is equally beautiful, evoking more joy. And what an unexpected treat to see so many fascinating architectural designs. Truly a great day under blue skies in Greenland ! xo Lina ox
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lina, for your kind comments as always! The glass umiak was a treasure - good news in the end that you'll read about in a few weeks! Nuuk was quite a pleasant surprise for all the reasons I mentioned in the post. You'll also learn ( or may remember from when we saw you in Ottawa!) that we spent far more time there than we ever imagined! XOXO
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