Qaqortoq facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Qaqortoq
Julianehåb
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Qaqortoq market square
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 Qaqortoq
Location in Greenland
Qaqortoq
Location in North Atlantic
Qaqortoq
Location in Arctic
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| Sovereign state |  Kingdom of Denmark |
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| Constituent country |  Greenland |
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| Municipality |  Kujalleq |
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| Founded | 1774 | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,050 | ||
| Time zone | UTC-03 | ||
| Postal code |
3920
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| Website | qaqortoq.gl | ||
Qaqortoq is a city in southern Greenland. It used to be called Julianehåb. It is the capital of the Kujalleq municipality.
Qaqortoq is located near Cape Thorvaldsen. In 2020, about 3,050 people lived there. This makes it the largest town in southern Greenland. It is also the fourth or fifth-largest town on the entire island.
Contents
Exploring Qaqortoq's Past
The land around Qaqortoq has been home to people for a very long time. Humans have lived here for about 4,300 years. This started with the Saqqaq culture.
Ancient Cultures: Saqqaq and Dorset
The first signs of people living here are from around 4,300 years ago. These were the Saqqaq culture people. There are not as many Saqqaq sites here as in other parts of Greenland. But some tools like stone drills have been found.
The Dorset culture people arrived in Qaqortoq about 2,800 years ago. You can find old rectangular houses made of peat around the area. These houses are typical of the early Dorset culture.
Norse Settlers and Thule People
We know about South Greenland's history from written records. These records began when the Norse people arrived. They came in the late 900s.
The ruins of Hvalsey are the most famous Norse ruins in Greenland. They are about 19 kilometers northeast of Qaqortoq. The Norse and the Thule people did not trade much at first. Later, the Norse traded ivory with the southern Inuit. They became the main suppliers of ivory to northern Europe. The Norse lived here for almost 500 years. Their time ended in the mid-1400s. The last record of them is a wedding in 1408.
The Thule people (Inuit) came to southern Greenland around the 1100s. They lived at the same time as the Norse. But there is little proof they met early on. The Thule people lived by hunting and gathering. There are not many large Thule houses found, but many tools and items exist.
From Colony to Modern Town
The town we see today was started in 1775. A trader from Denmark-Norway named Anders Olsen founded it. He worked for the General Trading Company. The town was named Julianehaab after Queen Juliane Marie of Denmark.
Qaqortoq became a big center for trading saddle-back seal skins. Today, it is still home to the Great Greenland sealskin tannery. This is a place where animal skins are made into leather.
Until 2008, Qaqortoq was its own municipality. In 2009, it became the main town of the Kujalleq municipality. This happened when three towns in South Greenland joined together.
Discovering Qaqortoq's Special Places
Historic Buildings to Explore
The building that now holds the Qaqortoq Museum was once the town's blacksmith shop. It was built in 1804 from yellow stone.
The oldest building at the old colonial harbor is from 1797. It is a black log building. A Danish architect designed it. It was built in Denmark, shipped in pieces, and then put together in Qaqortoq.
Stone & Man: An Outdoor Art Gallery
Qaqortoq is known for its artists and craftspeople. From 1993 to 1994, a local artist named Aka Høegh led a project. It was called Stone & Man. Eighteen artists from Nordic countries carved 24 sculptures. They carved them into rocks and boulders around the town. Now, there are over 40 sculptures. The town is like an open-air art gallery!
Greenland's Oldest Fountain
The town has the oldest fountain in Greenland. It is called Mindebrønden and was finished in 1932. For a long time, it was the only fountain in the country. The fountain shows whales spouting water from their blowholes. It is a popular spot for tourists.
Getting Around Qaqortoq
Air Travel: Heliport and Future Airport
Qaqortoq Heliport is open all year. It connects Qaqortoq to Narsarsuaq Airport. From there, you can fly to other parts of Greenland and Europe.
There are plans to build a new airport for bigger planes. This would make it easier for people to visit. A longer runway would allow flights to Iceland and Canada. A new airport would also help the economy in South Greenland.
In 2018, the Greenland parliament approved the project. A 1500-meter runway is being built. This will allow smaller jets to land, especially for tourists. It will also help with a nearby mining project. Construction started in 2022 and should finish in 2025. The new airport will be about 5 kilometers north of town.
Land Travel: Trails and Snowmobiles
Qaqortoq is not connected to other towns by roads. You can hike on trails outside of town. For motorized travel, people use ATVs. In winter, snowmobiles are the main way to get around.
Sea Travel: Ferries and Cruise Ships
Qaqortoq is a stop for the Arctic Umiaq ferry. This ferry travels along the coast of Greenland. The port can handle large ships.
The port of Qaqortoq is important for cruise ships. Many large cruise ships visit each season. They often stop here when traveling from North Europe to the Caribbean.
Qaqortoq's Economy and Services
Qaqortoq is a seaport and a main center for South Greenland. Its economy relies on fishing, tourism, and making products from animal skins. It also provides many educational and government services.
The Great Greenland Furhouse is the only tannery in Greenland. It buys most of the sealskins on the island. It is one of the biggest employers in the town.
Farming is also done in the fjords near Qaqortoq. People raise sheep, cattle, and reindeer. Qaqortoq provides services and supplies to these farms.
Most of the goods exported from Qaqortoq go to Denmark.
South Greenland has many valuable minerals. Mining has been important here before. A gold mine near Qaqortoq operated from 2003 to 2013. It is expected to reopen in 2022. A big new mine called Tanbreez is also planned. It will extract many different elements.
Jobs in Qaqortoq
In the summer of 2020, about 7% of people in Qaqortoq were looking for jobs. This is higher than in Greenland's capital, Nuuk. But the number of people without jobs in Qaqortoq has been going down.
Powering the City
All of Qaqortoq's electricity comes from a government company called Nukissiorfiit. Since 2007, most of the power comes from the Qorlortorsuaq Dam. This is a hydroelectric dam. Before that, the town used diesel generators for electricity.
Learning and Education
Qaqortoq is the main place for education in South Greenland. It has schools for all ages: a primary school, a middle school, and a high school. There is also a folk high school, a business school, and a vocational school.
Places of Worship
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Gertrud Rasch's Church
Gertrud Rasch's Church is a white church made of concrete. It is named after Gertrud Rask, who was the wife of a missionary named Hans Egede. The old church in Qaqortoq was too small for the growing town. So, a new church was built. Construction started in 1972 and it opened in 1973. The church has a concrete altar. The artwork behind the altar shows plants from South Greenland.
Healthcare Services
Qaqortoq has Napparsimavik Hospital. This is the main hospital for all of southern Greenland. It has 18 beds and a staff of 59 people. Three nearby villages also use this hospital. Doctors visit these villages by sea. In emergencies, a medical helicopter is used.
Tourism: Welcoming Visitors
Tourism is very important to Qaqortoq's economy. The Qaqortoq Tourist Service helps visitors. Qaqortoq is the main cruise ship destination in Greenland. More than 35 cruise ships visit each season. Over 30,000 cruise visitors come to the town. Many tourists are from Germany, Britain, and America.
Most non-cruise tourists are from Denmark. There are places to stay, like the Qaqortoq Hostel. The Qaqortoq Museum offers tours in English, Danish, and Greenlandic. The Great Greenland Furhouse is also a popular place to visit.
The tourist office offers many activities. These include kayaking, hiking, whale-watching, and tours to the Greenland ice cap. You can also visit Norse ruins, farms, and hot springs. Qaqortoq has seen fewer tourists staying overnight recently. This is partly because there isn't an airport close by.
The Qaqortoq Stadium has the first artificial grass football field in Greenland. In 2014, the Danish Crown Prince family visited the town. They planted a small group of poplar trees.
People of Qaqortoq
In 2020, Qaqortoq had 3,050 people. This number has stayed about the same since 1995.
There are about the same number of men and women who are native Greenlanders. Among people born outside Greenland, more are men. In 2011, 10% of the town's people were born outside Greenland. This was down from 20% in 1991.
Qaqortoq's Location and Weather
Qaqortoq is located in the Qaqortoq Fjord. This is next to the Labrador Sea. Its coordinates are about 60°43′20″N 46°02′25″W.
Climate: Mild Winters and Cool Summers
Qaqortoq has a polar climate. This means it has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. But its winters are milder than other places far north. This is because of the ocean's effect. The southern tip of Greenland does not have permafrost. Qaqortoq is one of the few towns in Greenland where trees can grow.
| Climate data for Qaqortoq, Greenland (57 m asl, normals 1991–2020, extremes 1961–2020) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.3 (54.1) |
12.0 (53.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
14.0 (57.2) |
21.8 (71.2) |
20.0 (68.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
23.0 (73.4) |
21.6 (70.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
13.7 (56.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
23.0 (73.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.9 (28.6) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
3.4 (38.1) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
11.7 (53.1) |
11.2 (52.2) |
8.7 (47.7) |
4.8 (40.6) |
0.9 (33.6) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
4.2 (39.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.9 (23.2) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
0.4 (32.7) |
3.4 (38.1) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8.1 (46.6) |
8.1 (46.6) |
5.9 (42.6) |
2.3 (36.1) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−3.7 (25.3) |
1.2 (34.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −7.8 (18.0) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
0.2 (32.4) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
5.3 (41.5) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −30.0 (−22.0) |
−25.2 (−13.4) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
−16.4 (2.5) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
−8.5 (16.7) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−18.0 (−0.4) |
−21.6 (−6.9) |
−30.0 (−22.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 75.6 (2.98) |
77.7 (3.06) |
63.8 (2.51) |
66.7 (2.63) |
58.3 (2.30) |
69.3 (2.73) |
81.6 (3.21) |
103.0 (4.06) |
116.2 (4.57) |
88.8 (3.50) |
100.6 (3.96) |
70.1 (2.76) |
971.7 (38.27) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 10.2 | 9.5 | 8.3 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.1 | 8.7 | 9.6 | 9.3 | 107.9 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 66.5 | 67.8 | 65.8 | 70.7 | 75.8 | 79.7 | 81.8 | 84.9 | 77.8 | 67.5 | 72.6 | 70.1 | 73.4 |
| Source: Danish Meteorological Institute; raw data (humidity 2004–17) | |||||||||||||
Connections with Other Places
Twin Town
Qaqortoq is connected to another city as a "twin town":
Aarhus, Denmark
Foreign Relations
Qaqortoq has a consulate from the government of Latvia. This means Latvia has an official office there to represent its country in Greenland.
See also
In Spanish: Qaqortoq para niños
