Qaqortoq

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Qaqortoq in wintertime.

Location of the Qaqortoq municipality in Greenland.

Qaqortoq pronunciation (help·info) (Danish: Julianehåb) is a town in southwestern Greenland located at approximately 60°43′N, 46°02′W.

Image:GL Qaqortoq.gif

The municipal coat of arms.

With a population of 3,100, it is South Greenland's most populous town. The name is western Greenlandic and means "[the] white [one]". Qaqortoq is the seat of the Municipality of Qaqortoq which, apart from the town itself, includes three small settlements. Qaqortoq was founded by Norwegian trader Anders Olsen in 1775. Near Qaqortoq are the Hvalsey ruins, the most prominent Norse ruins in Greenland.

It is also home to the only fountain in Greenland. A tourist attraction, the fountain depicts whales spouting water out of their blowholes.

[edit] References

"Greenland and the Arctic". By Etain O'Carroll and Mark Elliott. Lonely Planet 2005. ISBN 1-74059-095-3.

[edit] External links

qaqortoq.dk Web site of the municipality of Qaqortoq page (limited information in English)
www.greenland.com Greenland.com information page on Qaqortoq.
www.qaq.gl Qaqortoq Tourist Information