Around Nuuk innumerable remains of summer and winter camps have been found, dating back to around 1480 AD.
 In the period following the Norse disappearance, the Inuit had the area to themselves, journeying from summer to winter camps, following their semi-nomadic hunting patterns. But soon other Europeans began to visit Greenland.

 In the 16th century Dutch, Basque and Scottish whalers began to appear in the area as whale-blubber became an increasingly valuable commodity. The whalers in turn did also interact with the Inuit through trading, which gradually made the Inuit learn and appreciate European goods.
 
 The modern history of Greenland and Nuuk has its beginning in 1721, when Hans Egede, a Norwegian/Danish missionary founded the first European all-year colony and trading post. Hans Egede actually came to Greenland to convert the Catholic Norse into Lutherans and to re-establish contact, but soon realized that the Norse were no more. Instead he became the apostle of Greenland.

 Initially Egedes colony was situated on ‘Haabets Ø’ (Island of Hope), but it soon became obvious that the island was not suitable, so on the 29th August 1728 the town of Nuuk/Godthaab was founded, and the Danish colonization initiated.
 Life in the early colony was not easy. In the years 1733-34 a small pox epidemic killed most of the native population and Hans Egedes wife. Hans Egede went back to Norway shortly after, but his sons continued the mission in Greenland. Hans Egedes house in the colonial harbour is still used today. By 1733 the Danish king issued a permit to the German mission, the Herrnhuts, to go to Greenland and assist Hans Egede in the conversion of the inuit. 

 The most visible remnant of the Herrnhuts in Nuuk is the red buidling built in 1747, previously the university of Greenland. The university has since moved to the modern “Ilimmarfik” park near the airport
 Nuuk/Godthaab became an educational centre in 1847 when the Greenland Teachers College was placed here. 

 In 1908 a new administrational regulation initiated the parliamentary system in Greenland by opening two regional assemblies, of which the South Greenland Assembly was situated in Nuuk. Following the Second World War, the two regional assemblies were joined into one single Greenlandic Assembly, which also became situated in Nuuk. By the Greenland Home Rule act of 1979, the new greenlandic parliament, the Landsting, was naturally placed in Nuuk, thus making the town the de facto capital of Greenland. Today most of the large industries have headquarters in Nuuk along with the two national papers, Atuagagdliutit/Grønlandsposten and Sermitsiak and a number of administrative and educational facilities. Nuuk is also the home of the Greenland Cultural Centre, the award-winning Katuaq and the new Greenland Institute of Natural Resources.

Katuaq - the cultural center

Housing a cinema, a café and the Nordic Institute NAPA, Katuaq is truly the cultural centre of Greenland.

With its wavy wooden surface, Katuaq represents the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) and the beauty of the Greenlandic culture.

Cafétuaq serves coffee, tea, cake and light meals along with international newspapers and a relaxing atmosphere. On weekends, you will find a delicious brunch buffet in the House.

Swimming Pool Malik

Malik, Nuuk Swimming is a municipal-owned swimming pool located in Nuuk.
Malik seeks to provide a frame for family and leisure activities, as well as possible cultural activities for local residents, tourists and other guests and city institutions.

In interesting fact is that the pool is heated by the residual heat from the city waste incinerator.

Nuuk Art Museum

This museum houses a collection of Greenlandic paintings and hand-crafted artefacts. Everything in the museum was accumulated over a 40-year period by a local businessman and his wife, Svend and Helene Junge, who generously donated their collection to the City of Nuuk in 2006.

It is an excellent opportunity of seeing how art has developed in Greenland over the past years, and gives an interesting insight into the history of our country as well.

Greenland National Museum and Archives

The Greenland National Museum and Archives is located down by the Old Colonial Harbour.

The Museum is home to the world-famous mummies found in the north of Greenland. The museum 
houses an extensive collection of Greenlandic artefacts, including clothing, boats, kayaks.