Hvalsey Church

Cloaked in a aura of mystery, the ruins of the historic Hvalsey Church stand tall as a reminder of Greenland's early history. As Christianity grew in prominence across Europe, it soon found its way to the shores of Greenland where the Norse from Scandinavia had established their farms and homesteads. Renowned as the best preserved example of some of the earliest churches built anywhere across the North American continent, the church is estimated to have been constructed in the 14th Century. A deep silence reigns over the church and its verdant surrounds, with the shimmering waters of the fjord in full view. Yet, it is not hard to imagine the joyous celebrations that once drew visitors from near and far, by ship and on horseback, to the picturesque church. It is a doorway into the past of the Catholic Norse and testament to their vibrant culture.