Western Settlement, Western Settlement, Greenland

The Western Settlement (Vestribyggð) was a group of farms and communities established by Norsemen from Iceland around AD 985 in medieval Greenland. Despite its name, the Western Settlement was more north than west of its companion and located at the head of the long Nuup Kangerlua fjord (inland from Nuuk, the present Greenlandic capital).

At its peak, the Western Settlement probably had about 1,000 inhabitants, about a fourth the size of the Eastern Settlement, owing to its shorter growing season. The largest of the Western Settlement farms was Sandnæs. Ruins of almost 95 farms have been found in the Western settlement.

Much less is known about the Western Settlement than the Eastern Settlement, as there is very little mention and no direct description of it in any of the medieval sources on Greenland. The Norse settlement was last mentioned by the traveller Ivar Bardarson, who wrote to the Bishop of Bergen to describe conditions he observed sometime between 1341–60. In his voyage to the Western Settlement, he found only vacant farms.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

Western Settlement, Greenland

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Details

Founded: 985 AD
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Greenland

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
archive.archaeology.org

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4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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Keara Hagerty (11 months ago)
My husband and I had our wedding here in July, 2022. To say that Kim and the property are amazing is such an understatement. We wanted a wedding that focused on good food, music, and one that was relaxed, personal, and full of nature and flowers. This venue exceeded every single one of our expectations. Kim was amazing to work with, extremely kind and genuine, while also being upfront and transparent. The inn and farmhouse are so charming and homey, and the barn made the perfect backdrop for our wedding (Kim has so many amazing decorations on hand). Perhaps our favorite part (besides getting married) was getting to spend the day before the wedding cutting our own wildflowers (!!!) And making our arrangements and bouquets. On top of all that, the Inn is extremely well priced. Especially considering everything you have on hand. We love this place!!

Sabrina Cuccia (2 years ago)
I am a long islander and I knew that venues here just weren't for me. We decided to look upstate in the mountains to find something more "us". My husband found this gem of a place and I am forever grateful that he did. We were truly going to book this sight-un-seen. We took a risk being so far away but ultimately Kim has everything (props, decorations etc) to make your wedding look picture perfect. From the gorgeous barn, wooden tables, mix-matched chairs...to the farmhouse surrounded by the Catskill mountains, everything was what we wanted/dreamed of. We had over 115 people traveling from Long Island and they all raved about this place. They said it was the most fun they ever had at a wedding, and I can conquer. I will never forget my wedding weekend here, it will always be held in my heart and my fondest memory. Kim is wonderful. She is helpful, patient and fulll of recommendations. We basically listened to her (food, DJ, bartenders) and we were just thrilled with everyone. Get married here.... you won't regret it!!

Heather Huie (2 years ago)
Great wedding venue and as a photographer it’s an awesome spot to shoot in! Nice staff and owners made the experience really enjoyable!

Julia Raskin (2 years ago)
I absolutely love the Inn at West Settlement, and Kim! I had the perfect wedding week and everything went so smoothly. Kim is patient, understanding and very experienced. It's an incredible value for such a gorgeous spot, and the farmhouse is comfortable and has a lot of character. Would recommend 100%

Joe Damone (4 years ago)
Great venue for a Catskills Wedding. I have attended several weddings there and they were all great. Kim and her crew do a great job!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

La Hougue Bie

La Hougue Bie is a Neolithic ritual site which was in use around 3500 BC. Hougue is a Jèrriais/Norman language word meaning a \'mound\' and comes from the Old Norse word haugr. The site consists of 18.6m long passage chamber covered by a 12.2m high mound. The site was first excavated in 1925 by the Société Jersiaise. Fragments of twenty vase supports were found along with the scattered remains of at least eight individuals. Gravegoods, mostly pottery, were also present. At some time in the past, the site had evidently been entered and ransacked.

In Western Europe, it is one of the largest and best preserved passage graves and the most impressive and best preserved monument of Armorican Passage Grave group. Although they are termed \'passage graves\', they were ceremonial sites, whose function was more similar to churches or cathedrals, where burials were incidental.

Western Settlement