Qassiarsuk
Settlement in Greenland
title: "Qassiarsuk" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-greenland", "kujalleq"] description: "Settlement in Greenland" topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-greenland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qassiarsuk" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Settlement in Greenland ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Qassiarsuk |
| other_name | Bratalid, Brattahlíð |
| image_skyline | Brattachurch.jpg |
| imagesize | 300px |
| image_caption | Reproduction of Brattahlíð church, Qassiarsuk |
| pushpin_map | Greenland |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location within Greenland |
| pushpin_mapsize | 300 |
| subdivision_type | State |
| subdivision_name | Kingdom of Denmark |
| subdivision_type1 | Constituent country |
| subdivision_name1 | Greenland |
| subdivision_type2 | Municipality |
| subdivision_name2 | [[File:Kujalleq-coat-of-arms.svg |
| government_footnotes | {{cite web |
| url | http://kujalleq.gl/dansk/by/10-11.htm |
| title | Kujalleq Municipality |
| language | da |
| access-date | 2010-04-28 |
| archive-url | https://archive.today/20130213165351/http://kujalleq.gl/dansk/by/10-11.htm |
| archive-date | 2013-02-13 |
| url-status | dead |
| leader_title | Mayor |
| leader_name | Fredrik Frederiksen |
| population_as_of | 2025 |
| population_total | 77 |
| timezone1 | Western Greenland Time |
| utc_offset1 | −02:00 |
| timezone1_DST | Western Greenland Summer Time |
| utc_offset1_DST | −01:00 |
| coordinates | |
| postal_code_type | Postal code |
| postal_code | 3921 Narsaq |
| :: |
| name = Qassiarsuk | official_name = | other_name = Bratalid, Brattahlíð | image_skyline = Brattachurch.jpg | imagesize = 300px | image_caption = Reproduction of Brattahlíð church, Qassiarsuk | image_shield = | shield_size = | pushpin_map = Greenland | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_caption = Location within Greenland | pushpin_mapsize = 300 | subdivision_type = State | subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark | subdivision_type1 = Constituent country | subdivision_name1 = Greenland | subdivision_type2 = Municipality | subdivision_name2 = [[File:Kujalleq-coat-of-arms.svg|22px]] Kujalleq | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | government_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://kujalleq.gl/dansk/by/10-11.htm |title=Kujalleq Municipality |language=da |access-date=2010-04-28 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130213165351/http://kujalleq.gl/dansk/by/10-11.htm |archive-date=2013-02-13 |url-status=dead | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Fredrik Frederiksen | established_title = | established_date = | population_as_of = 2025 | population_total = 77 | timezone1 = Western Greenland Time | utc_offset1 = −02:00 | timezone1_DST = Western Greenland Summer Time | utc_offset1_DST = −01:00 | coordinates = | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 3921 Narsaq | website =
Qassiarsuk (Danish: Bratalid from Old Norse Brattahlíð) is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality, in southern Greenland. Its population was 39 in 2020. Qassiarsuk is part of the Kujataa World Heritage Site, due to its historical importance as the homestead of Erik the Red and its unique testimony to Greenlandic farming.
History
Brattahlíð is located by Tunulliarfik Fjord (Skovfjorden in Danish), and it was the site of Erik the Red's estate in the times of the Norse Eastern Settlement (Østerbygden in Danish). Ruins of several of the buildings, including living quarters, outhouses, and a church, are still clearly visible.{{cite web |title=Archaeological Excavations at Qassiarsuk 2005 – 2006 |url=http://www.nabohome.org/publications/fieldreports/BrattahlidE29NFieldReport07.pdf |publisher=Greenland National Museum |access-date=June 4, 2012 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225911/http://www.nabohome.org/publications/fieldreports/BrattahlidE29NFieldReport07.pdf |url-status=dead
The current village was founded as Greenland's first sheep farm in 1924 and is located in the same place.
Until 31 December 2008, the settlement was part of Narsaq Municipality in the Kitaa amt. On 1 January 2009, Qassiarsuk became part of Kujalleq municipality, when the Kitaa amt, as well as the municipalities of Narsaq, Qaqortoq, and Nanortalik ceased to exist as administrative entities.
Geography
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Tunulliarfik-qassiarsuk.jpg" caption="Aerial view of the farms of Qassiarsuk from the north"] ::
The settlement is located on Narsaq Peninsula roughly 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Narsarsuaq across the Tunulliarfik Fjord. It has fertile plains wider than those found at Narsaq on the southern end of the peninsula.
Infrastructure and transportation
The settlement has a general store operated by KNI,{{cite web |title=Narsaq Kommuneplan 2008-2018 |url=http://www.qaqortoq.gl/plan/dansk/narsaq/kommuneplannarsaq2.pdf |access-date=June 4, 2012
The electricity needs for the settlement are provided for by a local power station.
Transportation
The Qassiarsuk area has a relatively extensive network of traversable dirt and gravel roads, totalling over 80 kilometers and requiring DKK 500,000 annually for service.{{cite web |title = Road Construction in Greenland – the Greenlandic Case |url = http://www.roadex.org/uploads/publications/docs-RIII-EN/The%20Greenlandic%20Case%20-%20RIII.pdf |access-date = June 4, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120318050753/http://www.roadex.org/uploads/publications/docs-RIII-EN/The%20Greenlandic%20Case%20-%20RIII.pdf |archive-date = March 18, 2012
All vital transportation at Qassiarsuk is by sea, with boats linking the settlement to Narsarsuaq Airport, home to the only international airport in southern Greenland. The airport primarily functions as a transfer point for passengers heading for the helicopter hubs of Air Greenland in Qaqortoq and Nanortalik. Qassiarsuk does not have its own heliport.
Economy
Qassiarsuk's economy is based on sheep husbandry and farming. This contrasts with the majority of Greenland's settlements, which are based on fishing.
There is also a thriving tourism industry in the area.{{cite web |title = Narsaq Municipality |url = http://www.randburg.com/gr/narsaqmu.html |access-date = June 4, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120317000018/http://www.randburg.com/gr/narsaqmu.html |archive-date = March 17, 2012 |title=About the Qassiarsuk area |url=http://www.greenland-guide.gl/leif2000/area.htm |publisher=Greenland Guide & Project Leif 2000 |access-date=June 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806103806/http://www.greenland-guide.gl/leif2000/area.htm |archive-date=August 6, 2017 |url-status=dead |title=Hiking tours in the Qassiarsuk area |url=http://www.blueice.gl/pdf/Qassiarsuk%20area_uk.pdf |publisher=Blue Ice Explorer |access-date=June 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227034914/http://www.blueice.gl/pdf/Qassiarsuk%20area_uk.pdf |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |url-status=dead
Population
The population of Qassiarsuk has been stable in the last two decades.{{cite web |title=Statistics Greenland |language=da |url=http://bank2.stat.gl/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721031245/http://bank2.stat.gl/ |archive-date=July 21, 2011
In Literature
The novel An Old Captivity by Nevil Shute is set in Brattahlíð (spelled "Brattalid" in the book), describing a 1930s archaeological expedition there.
References
References
- "Population by Localities". Statistical Greenland.
- Orri Vésteinsson. (January 2016). "Nomination to UNESCO's World Heritage List -- Kujataa: a subarctic farming landscape in Greenland". The Greenlandic Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Church.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::