The journey to Pyramiden, nestled in Svalbard’s archipelago, felt like an expedition to the edge of the world. After flying to the northernmost point of Norway, I arrived in Longyearbyen, the capital of Spitsbergen Island, closer to the North Pole than Oslo itself. Just when I thought I had reached the northernmost point imaginable, where the sun remains absent for four months and daylight lingers for another four, I ventured even further.
The final stretch to the nearly deserted coal-mining town felt like a voyage into uncharted territory. Boarding a tour boat from Longyearbyen, we sailed through Arctic waters, keeping watch for polar bears. A profound silence surrounded us as we passed the first headland, heading toward the far north.
Puffins, with their whimsical appearance, soared alongside the boat, signaling the approaching seabird colonies on the cliffs. Wisps of clouds danced around snow-covered peaks and valleys, where summer snow showers transformed the landscape from charcoal gray to blinding white under sudden bursts of sunlight. Majestic, gray, scalloped rock formations adorned the beaches of fjords, solitary and rugged. In awe, I gazed across waters nearly encased in ice, marveling at the midsummer spectacle as we approached Pyramiden.
Arriving in Pyramiden is a disconcerting experience. To the east, the Nordenskjöldbreen glacier thrusts into the sea across icy waters, showcasing Svalbard’s glacier-dominated landscape. Under summer clouds, austere yet captivating, the scene epitomizes Arctic beauty.
Pyramiden itself, adorned with remnants of its coal-mining past, emits an eerie post-apocalyptic vibe. Amongst the landscape of steel girders, rusted ironworks, and collapsed mine buildings, the scene feels haunting. Derelict railways mar the hillside, while Stalinist-style structures try to assert their presence amidst the rugged natural beauty, evoking the atmosphere of a Cold War Arctic thriller.
Amidst this desolation, on the pier, stood Sergei Rubelev, clad in a white fishing sweater, his enthusiastic waves radiating warmth. Despite Pyramiden’s abandonment, Rubelev represented a beacon of human connection in this isolated outpost of the former Soviet empire, offering a genuinely heartfelt welcome.
Pyramiden remains cut off from the outside world for eight or nine months each year, accessible only by winter snowmobile expeditions and occasional supply planes. While tourists flock to Svalbard’s capital, Longyearbyen, from June or July onwards, small boats, weather permitting, ferry 10 to 15 travelers (and sometimes supplies) to Pyramiden. These boats may also assist scientists or trappers at isolated cabins. In the unpredictable Arctic summer, ice conditions can halt boat arrivals for weeks. It’s no wonder Rubelev greeted us with such warmth; human contact is a rare and cherished joy in this remote outpost.
Discovered by the Swedes in 1910, Pyramiden’s coal reserves sparked interest during a time when the legal status of Spitsbergen (now Svalbard) was in dispute. The 1925 Svalbard Treaty, still in force today, designated the archipelago as Norwegian territory but granted rights to citizens and companies from all signatory nations. Seizing upon this unique legal framework, Sweden sold Pyramiden to Stalin‘s Russia in 1927. As a Soviet outpost, alongside Barentsburg, Pyramiden flourished as coal-mining towns, boasting a population of 2,500 in the 1950s, surpassing present-day Longyearbyen. Remarkably, Pyramiden’s network of mining shafts, stretching over 60 kilometers, remained operational into the early 1990s, outlasting the collapse of the Soviet empire.
In the serene desolation of Pyramiden, I ponder a history stretching from the Swedes’ coal discovery in 1910 to the bustling coal-mining town of the Soviet era. Today, Pyramiden is shrouded in a ghostly silence, a poignant reminder of the rise and fall of human endeavors in the Arctic.
Yet, amidst the stillness, Pyramiden’s resilience resonates through the years, enduring even beyond the collapse of the Soviet empire. As we bid farewell to its abandoned streets and crumbling structures, the winds carry away the echoes of a place frozen in time. Pyramiden, with its stark beauty and rich history, leaves an indelible impression on those who dare to explore its desolate embrace, provoking contemplation on the fleeting nature of human influence in the harsh Arctic wilderness.
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