The Viking period

Greenland’s inheritance from the Viking Age

Travel in the footsteps of the Viking settlers
Feel the history while walking among the ruins from a distant Viking age, or whilst sitting at the long table in Greenland’s only reconstructed longhouse and eating like the Viking settlers did some 1000 years ago.

Norse style costumes

The traces of the Vikings – also called the Norse – can be found in the innermost and warmest fjord systems in South- and West Greenland. The landscape here continues to be dominated by large ruins of farms, stables, storerooms, etc., made of sandstone and granite blocks. The ruins can be anything up to 1000 years old.

Green landscapes
As a visitor to these parts, you quickly begin to understand why Erik the Red called the country Greenland – the landscape is literally green and fertile. Lots of the same land that the Viking settlers originally cultivated is today occupied by enterprising sheep farmers and other farmers who offer guests overnight accommodation on the banks of deep fjords and or on grassy mountain slopes. Nature-lovers can thus experience authentic settings as they begin to explore the area in the footsteps of the earlier Norse settlers.

The best preserved ruins
The best preserved ruins are found in Southern Greenland, where around 500 groups of ruins have been unearthed. After just half an hour by boat from Narsarsuaq international airport, you arrive at Qassiarsuk, where the fascinating Brattahlid ruins can be seen. The area is also home to a reconstruction of a Viking longhouse and Tjodhilde’s Church, which was the first Christian church built on the North American continent.

Brattahlid is also the location from where Leif Eriksson set sail and discovered Vinland – the North American continent at Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ruins at Igaliku

Hvalsey Church ruins
If you are in the vicinity of Qaqortoq, you must not miss out on the chance to go on an excursion to the beautiful Hvalsey Church, which is by far and away the best preserved ruin in the country. The final accounts of the Norse population were heard from here through a wedding described in the Vatican’s annals in 1408. After this account, no further written evidence exists - only the mystery of what become of the Viking population.

The Viking population in Nuuk
The Viking settlers did not only restrict themselves to the south of Greenland, as evidenced by the fact that in the innermost fjords near the capital of Nuuk up to 100 groups of ruins have been found. These ruins can be reached on a daytrip by boat or by taking a helicopter flight.