Qassiarsuk

Qassiarsuk stands on the site the Norse called Brattahlíð, the farm Erik the Red established around 985 when he brought settlers from Iceland, and it is now a sheep farming settlement of a few dozen people. The foundations of the Norse longhouse and of Thjodhild's church, said to be the first Christian church in the Americas, have been excavated, and full-scale reconstructions of both stand beside them built with turf and stone.

What you actually see

• The Brattahlid foundations - the excavated remains of Erik the Red's farm.
• Thjodhild's church - the foundations of what is called the first church in the Americas.
• The reconstructions - full-scale turf and stone rebuildings beside the originals.
• The sheep farms - the working agriculture on the same ground today.

When to go

June to September is the season. The boat from Narsarsuaq takes about ten minutes and runs when weather allows. Winter closes the settlement to visitors.

Honest expectations

The reconstructions are modern buildings, not the originals; the actual remains are low foundations. Facilities amount to a hostel and a café. Boat crossings are cancelled in wind.

Nearby

Narsarsuaq is across the fjord, and Igaliku is southeast.