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Thanks to its small population, life in Igaliku village remains serene, with consistently cool weather year-round and beautifully romantic snowy winters.
The serene beauty of Igaliku village, housing only 21 inhabitants.
Igaliku village is a settlement located in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. The town was established in 1783 by a colonial manager and trader named Anders Olsen and his Greenlandic wife Tuperna. Situated on a small peninsula in the narrow Tunulliarfik fjord, the terrain is incredibly diverse. It can be reached by various means, with the most common being by boat to the port of Itilleq and crossing the 4 km isthmus.
Igaliku village is best known for the ruins of Garðar, once the religious center of Greenland's Norse settlements in the 12th century. This area was a focal point of eastern settlement and was excavated by archaeologists in the 1830s. Several historically significant graves were uncovered, although the number of artifacts found was relatively low.
The village boasts a grocery store, a church comprising both a parish hall and a school named Atuarfik Igaliku (Greenlandic for 'school of Igaliku'). There is only one road into the village, known as the King's Road, which connects Igaliku to a small boat harbor. Thanks to its rugged scenery and sparse population, Igaliku has become a haven for families seeking a harmonious existence with nature, focusing on agriculture, sheep farming, or simply preferring hiking to motor vehicles.
Throughout history, there have been numerous fascinating legends about this region. Notably, the famous actress and singer Marlene Dietrich visited Igaliku village during World War II, attracting public attention. This place has also nurtured the souls of many artists, with images of passionate musicians sitting by the guitar, strumming love songs echoing across the mountains every evening.
The weather here bears the typical characteristics of both temperate and polar regions, with long-lasting cold winters. However, on beautiful sunny days, Igaliku adorns itself with a very pleasant, serene beauty. The oldest sheep farming area in Greenland remains very captivating with its solemnity when covered in white snow even during summer. Valleys filled with flowers, interspersed with sturdy stone houses,... paint a very poetic landscape.
Perhaps, it's precisely because of the predominantly cold weather that the population choosing to live in Igaliku village is quite small. The population difference in the village between years usually remains below 100 inhabitants. 1995 was the most populous year with 71 residents, and according to preliminary statistics, as of 2020, there are only 21 residents.
Source: Mytour
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Reference: Travel handbook from Mytour
TravelMate.comNovember 25, 2020
