Qaqortoq is South Greenland’s largest town and a natural center for the region. The name Qaqortoq means “white” and originates not from the ice that drifts into the harbor, but from a large colony of seagulls that once inhabited the area. Now the bird colony has been replaced by a thriving community, with a bustling port and the country’s largest tannery, Great Greenland. The district of Qaqortoq has 3,600 inhabitants, with 3,300 living in the town itself.
Qaqortoq is one of the most beautiful towns in Greenland. The municipality has done a lot to keep the town pleasant and clean, with a public fountain and many walkways paved with local granite. No wonder the locals call it the “green city of Greenland”. During the summer the area around the town literally bursts into bloom and there are many private gardens in the town. All this greenery stands in stark contrast to the majestic icebergs that drift by in the fjord outside the harbor.