NuukCapital
Greenland · Country profile
Nuuk is the small, dramatic capital of Greenland, the steeply built town of the far north that climbs the terraces of its peninsula above the great fjord of the same name, beneath the enormous ice cap of the island, the world largest city of the Arctic world. The capital of the Danish territory since the eighteenth century, when the mission of the Hans Egede founded the settlement, it is a compact transit point of the bright painted houses, the modest centre and the abrupt wilderness, where the modern life of the Danish administration meets the dog sledges, the seals and the ice of the Inuit world. The harbour, the museums, the cathedral of the town and the dramatic fjord fill the short city days, while the hiking of the hills and the boat trips of the icebergs carry the traveller immediately into the astonishing natural world of the Arctic. Bright, quiet and utterly spectacular, Nuuk is the small capital of the great white world of the north.
About Nuuk
Nuuk is the capital of Greenland. The city's documented population is around 19,600 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Danish Krone (DKK) and Greenlandic and Danish are spoken; the dialling code is +299.
The Old Town of the Mission and the Cathedral of the Rock
Nuuk is a small capital of the walks and the viewpoints, with the historic quarter of the oldest settlement, the museum and the cathedral anchoring the town circuit, and the fjord and the mountains ringing the whole of the harbour. The boat trips of the port, threading the icebergs and the whale grounds of the fjord, and the hiking trails of the hills behind the town, deliver the essential encounters of the Arctic world within minutes of the centre. The great ice cap, the settlements of the fjord and the midnight sun or the winter lights of the season change the daily drama of the sky, and the whole city runs the quiet, hardy, spectacular rhythm of the far north of the world.
The Museum of the Mummies and the Kayaks of the Ice
The climate of the capital is the Arctic sub-polar, with the long, dark winter with its snow and its northern lights, and the bright, cool summer with its midnight sun and its hiking season along the fjord. The crown, the currency of the state, is used in the town, with the Greenlandic and the Danish the languages of the capital and some English in the official life. The old town, the museum and the harbour make the core circuit, and the boat and the hiking trips of the fjord require a full day. Waterproof and layered clothing for the variable weather and sturdy boots for the trails complete the essentials of the northern capital.
The Fjord of the Capital and the Boat of the Icebergs
The old quarter of the capital, the cluster of the coloured houses and the ruins around the statue of the missionary that founded the town, preserves the eighteenth-century heart of the Danish settlement, while the cathedral of the capital, with its distinctive red tower, anchors the modern town that climbs the terraces of the hill behind the harbour. The national museum of the country, housing the extraordinary mummies and the kayaks of the pre-history of the Inuit, is the essential cultural stop of the city, and the cultural house of the capital, the striking modern building on the waterfront, hosts the concerts and the exhibitions of the town. The dog sledge and the boat excursions of the fjord, the helicopter flights toward the great ice cap and the midnight sun of the summer nights complete the unforgettable Arctic theatre of the small, bright capital of the Greenland.
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- Country
- Greenland
- Population
- 19,600
- Capital
- Nuuk
- Region
- North America
- Currency
- Danish Krone (DKK)
- Languages
- Greenlandic, Danish
- Calling code
- +299
- Country code
- GL
Frequently asked questions
Is Nuuk the capital of Greenland?
Yes — Nuuk is the capital of Greenland.
What currency do I need in Nuuk?
The local currency is the Danish Krone (DKK). Languages spoken in Greenland include Greenlandic and Danish.
What is the dialling code for Greenland?
The international dialling code for Greenland is +299.
Flying out of Nuuk? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.