Strolling in Pyramiden
Pyramiden (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish meaning "the pyramid", Russian: Пирамида, piramida) was a Russian settlement and coal mining community on the archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. It was founded by Sweden in 1910, and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927.
It lies at the foot of the Billefjorden on the island of Spitsbergen, and is named for the pyramid-shaped mountain adjacent to the town. The settlement once had a population of over 1,000 inhabitants, but was abandoned on the 10th of January, 1998 by its owner, the state-owned Russian company Arctikugol Trust. It is now a ghost town. Within the buildings things remain exactly as they were when the settlement was abandoned in a hurry.
There are no restrictions on visiting Pyramiden. However, visitors may not enter any buildings without permission, even if the doors are open, due to the health and safety hazards involved. Most buildings are now locked. Pyramiden is accessible by boat or snowmobile. Guided tours are available in Russian, Norwegian, and English.
The nearest settlements are Svalbard's capital, Longyearbyen, some 50 km to the south, Barentsburg approximately 100 km south-west and the small research community of Ny-Ålesund, 100 km to the west.
It is predicted that due to the low rate of decay in a frigid clime, the abandoned town's major buildings would be visible 500 years from now.
Pyramiden is currently being re-developed by the Russians to accommodate tourists. 5-6 people are currently stationed there to upgrade the facilities.
(Wikipedia)
-----
It's hard to describe how we felt when Pyramiden town appeared and became more and more visible as our boat approached its port.
Ghost city that plays strong with one's emotions - no matter if you remember Bradbury's books and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, or any of B-movies dealing with post-apocalyptic scenarios.
We were extremely lucky - when all the tourists were going back to the boat after a few hours visit, leaving us in Pyramiden alone, the guide told us that the two most beautiful days of Spitsbergen summer were just forecast. He was right - and the 2-nights stay there gave us unforgettable memories.
Strolling in Pyramiden
Pyramiden (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish meaning "the pyramid", Russian: Пирамида, piramida) was a Russian settlement and coal mining community on the archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. It was founded by Sweden in 1910, and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927.
It lies at the foot of the Billefjorden on the island of Spitsbergen, and is named for the pyramid-shaped mountain adjacent to the town. The settlement once had a population of over 1,000 inhabitants, but was abandoned on the 10th of January, 1998 by its owner, the state-owned Russian company Arctikugol Trust. It is now a ghost town. Within the buildings things remain exactly as they were when the settlement was abandoned in a hurry.
There are no restrictions on visiting Pyramiden. However, visitors may not enter any buildings without permission, even if the doors are open, due to the health and safety hazards involved. Most buildings are now locked. Pyramiden is accessible by boat or snowmobile. Guided tours are available in Russian, Norwegian, and English.
The nearest settlements are Svalbard's capital, Longyearbyen, some 50 km to the south, Barentsburg approximately 100 km south-west and the small research community of Ny-Ålesund, 100 km to the west.
It is predicted that due to the low rate of decay in a frigid clime, the abandoned town's major buildings would be visible 500 years from now.
Pyramiden is currently being re-developed by the Russians to accommodate tourists. 5-6 people are currently stationed there to upgrade the facilities.
(Wikipedia)
-----
It's hard to describe how we felt when Pyramiden town appeared and became more and more visible as our boat approached its port.
Ghost city that plays strong with one's emotions - no matter if you remember Bradbury's books and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, or any of B-movies dealing with post-apocalyptic scenarios.
We were extremely lucky - when all the tourists were going back to the boat after a few hours visit, leaving us in Pyramiden alone, the guide told us that the two most beautiful days of Spitsbergen summer were just forecast. He was right - and the 2-nights stay there gave us unforgettable memories.