Hans Egede statue
Place · Colonial Harbour
A five-minute stop on the hill next to the cathedral: the founder of Nuuk in bronze, with a view over the colonial harbour and a legacy that many Greenlanders debate.
- Founder statue
- Hill view
- Debated history
- Free entry
- Queue: switch at 15 min
- Works with kids
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…Fog and wind can ground flights and cancel boats
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- Greenland ↗Greenland is outside the Schengen area even though it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark; check entry rules for your passport with Danish authorities or official Greenland sources before booking.
- Greenland ↗Keep at least one spare day before any international connection; flights and boats are often delayed by weather.
- Greenland ↗Hikes away from towns need preparation, local advice and in some areas a permit; the National Park in the northeast requires a permit.
- Nuuk and West Greenland ↗Fog and wind can cancel flights and boats for a day or more: never plan a same-day connection.
- Nuuk ↗Fog and wind can ground flights and cancel boats: keep at least one spare day before any international connection.
- Nuuk ↗Even in July, wind at the water is cold: carry windproof layers, a hat and gloves in your day bag.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
- MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Quietest Sun · busiest Mon–Sat · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: Free
- Time to spend
- 10–15 min · up to 25 min if you linger
Best time to go
Quiet.
Queue rule: switch if the queue passes 15 min; come back when under 5.
By weekday: quietest Sun, busiest Mon–Sat.
Opening hours
- Note
- Open-air monument on public ground; no opening hours.
- Hours note
- Open-air; always accessible.
Which month is quietest
- Janlight
- Feblight
- Marlight
- Aprlight
- Maybusy
- Junheavy
- Julpacked
- Augpacked
- Sepheavy
- Octbusy
- Novlight
- Declight
Quietest Nov–Apr · busiest Jul–Aug.
Estimate: desk reasoning from season, weekday and visitor-flow patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Walk up the hill from the harbour
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- hill: gravel, no steps
- Shoes
- Grip shoes; the ground is gravel and ice in winter.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance · None but steep in places.
- NoLifts
- NoAccessible toilet
- PartialWheelchair · The path is steep and loose.
- NoStroller · Not easy.
- YesPlaces to sit · A bench or two.
Sensory load
- Sensory load2/5 Low
- Peak crowd1/5 Very low
Exposure: high
What to bring and the rules
- Clothing that meets the dress rule · Warm clothes; the hill is exposed.
- Footwear that suits the rule · Grip shoes; the ground is gravel and ice in winter.
- Water, a hat and sun or rain cover · Rated high exposure: little shelter while you walk.
- Warm clothes; the hill is exposed.
- Allowed; keep a respectful distance.
- Ask first.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- rain: Cathedral porch or the museum
- fatigue: Benches by the path
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Seating near the colonial harbour
Problem
Red lines
- Do not climb or deface the monument.
- Do not leave litter or make political displays.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- Hans Egede (1686–1758) was a Dano-Norwegian missionary who founded Godthåb in 1728.
- His legacy is debated by Greenlanders; the statue has been a focus for protest (check the current status).
- Keep it as a short stop with the cathedral.
- The hill is windy.
Best time of day
Plan 10–15 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate; usually empty
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- No ticket needed.
- Dress code
- Warm clothes; the hill is exposed.
- Photos
- Allowed; keep a respectful distance.
- Ask first.
- What's closed
- Any timeOpen-air; always accessible.
- WintercheckIce on the path: take care.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
How to do it well
- 1Walk up beside the cathedral to the monument on the hill.
- 2Look at the plaque, then the view of the harbour and the fjord.
- 3Read a little about Egede's role in Greenlandic history: see the museum.
- 4Walk down by the same path.
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
5min
Worthwhile
10min
Typical
15min
p95
25min
How much time do you have?
Room to linger: a typical visit is 15 min, people who stay on take up to 25.
With the other 15 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Nuuk CathedralOn the same hill.3 min on foot · 12 min spare
- Greenland National MuseumDown the hill.8 min on foot · 7 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
The monument
5 minBronze figure on a plinth.
Hill view
5 minHarbour and fjord.
Plan this visit
- Crowd on arrival
- quiet
- Worst while inside
- quiet
- Leave by
- 08:158:15 AM
- Closing buffer
- 585′
Good window: go.
- Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 18:00. Any time; go in daylight.
- Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partlyNone but steep in places.
- Lifts: no · no
- Accessible toilet: no · no
- Wheelchair: partly · partlyThe path is steep and loose.
- Stroller: no · noNot easy.
- Places to sit: yes · yesA bench or two.
A gravel path and slope; no steps.
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | no | None. |
| Shelter | no | None. |
Seasons, festivals and night openings
| When | What happens | Effect on your visit | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov–Mar | Snow | Slippery path. | check |
“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| History readers | good | A focal point for the colonial story. |
| Photographers | ok | Harbour and bronze. |
| Wheelchair users | caution | Steep gravel. |
| Quick visits | good | Five minutes. |
Skip it if
- You want a place to enter and read at length.
Rules on site
- conduct
- Do not climb on the statue.
With kids
- with kids
- A short walk with a view.
- child price
- free
Combine with
Combine with
- 3 minNuuk Cathedral — On the same hill.
- 8 minGreenland National Museum — Down the hill.
Walk the Colonial Harbour area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
| Spot | When | Rule on the spot |
|---|---|---|
| Statue and harbour | Morning | Include the cathedral roof. |
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is it worth going?
Five minutes, with the cathedral, if you like history.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Who was Hans Egede?
A Dano-Norwegian missionary who came to Greenland in 1721 and founded Godthåb, now Nuuk, in 1728.
Is the statue controversial?
Many Greenlanders debate his colonial legacy; the statue has been a focus of protest (check the latest).
Deep dive
Sources
- officialVisit Greenland
- secondaryWikivoyage — Nuuk
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Taken from the desk crowd estimate by hour. It is not a count of visitors.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.