Pyramiden

Pyramiden was founded by Sweden in 1910{{cite web |last1=Overrein |first1=Øystein |last2=Henriksen |first2=Jørn |last3=Johansen |first3=Bjørn Fossli |last4=Prestvold |first4=Kristin |title=Pyramiden [78° 39.3' N 16° 20' E] |url=http://cruise-handbook.npolar.no/en/isfjorden/pyramiden.html |website=The Cruise Handbook for Svalbard |publisher=Norwegian Polar Institute |access-date=30 July 2020}} and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927.[http://popularhistoria.se/artiklar/sveriges-okanda-ockupation/ Sveriges okända ockupation]. Populär Historia, 14 March 2001. {{retrieved|access-date=2016-10-06}} It lies at the foot of the Billefjorden on the island of Spitsbergen and is named after the pyramid-shaped mountain with the same name adjacent to the town. The nearest settlements are Svalbard's capital, Longyearbyen, some {{convert|50|km}} to the south, Barentsburg approximately {{convert|100|km}} southwest and the small research community of Ny-Ålesund, {{convert|100|km}} to the west. In Soviet times, the population was mostly Ukrainian, consisting of miners from the Donbas and staff from Volyn.{{Cite book|first=Maxim [Максим Беспалов] |last=Bespalov | year=2017 |script-title=uk:Український Шпіцберген |trans-title=Ukrainian Spitsbergen |language=uk |location=Kyïv |publisher=Tempora |pages=162–169 |isbn=978-617-569-316-2 }}[https://ukr.lb.ua/society/2016/09/22/345871_ostriv_shpitsbergen_mistse_de.html Остров Шпицберген: место, где не рождаются и не умирают люди]

Owned by the state-owned Russian mining company Arktikugol, which also owns the settlement of Barentsburg, Pyramiden once had over 1,000 inhabitants. Among its amenities were a cultural centre with a theater, a library, art and music studios; a sports complex; and a cantina open 24 hours a day.{{cite web |last1=Dickey |first1=Colin |title=The Cold Rim of the World |url=https://longreads.com/2015/03/18/the-cold-rim-of-the-world/ |website=Longreads |access-date=22 May 2021 |date=March 2015}} It also had a primary school.{{cite book|last=Umbreit|first=Andreas |title=Spitsbergen: Svalbard, Franz Josef, Jan Mayen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TExU1p6Cy20C|accessdate=21 May 2021|edition=3rd|year=2005|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|location=Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks|isbn=978-1-84162-092-3}}{{RP|200}} The northernmost monument to Vladimir Lenin{{Cite news|last=Ham |first=Anthony |date=20 June 2022 |title=The abandoned Soviet mining town in Norway's Arctic |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220620-pyramiden-an-abandoned-soviet-mining-town-in-the-arctic }} and the northernmost swimming pool were also found here.{{Cite magazine|last=Sokolov-Mitrich |first=Dimitri [Дмитрий Соколов-Митрич] |date=22 October 2009 |script-title=ru:Архипелаг никак |trans-title=The No-Way Archipelago |magazine=Русский Репортёр [Russian Reporter] |issue=40 (119) |language=ru |url=https://expert.ru/russian_reporter/2009/40/shpicbergen/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905230840/https://expert.ru/russian_reporter/2009/40/shpicbergen/ |archive-date=5 September 2016 }}

In 1996, a charter flight for Arktikugol crashed on the approach to Svalbard Airport with the loss of 141 lives.{{cite web |title=Exploring Pyramiden & Barentsburg (Svalbard / Шпицбе́рген) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzGROhnnF0M |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/LzGROhnnF0M| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|website=YouTube |access-date=22 May 2021 |format=Video |date=7 December 2017}}{{cbignore}}

Between 1955 and 1998, as much as nine million tonnes of coal were extracted from the mine.{{Cite web|title=Pyramiden Coal Mine, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway |publisher=Mindat |url=https://www.mindat.org/loc-14287.html }} Mining ceased on 31 March 1998 and the settlement closed that same year. The last permanent resident departed on 10 October, leaving Pyramiden as a ghost town.{{cite web|last=Nuwer|first=Rachel|author-link=Rachel Nuwer|title=A Soviet Ghost Town in the Arctic Circle, Pyramiden Stands Alone|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/soviet-ghost-town-arctic-circle-pyramiden-stands-alone-180951429/?no-ist|work=Smithsonian Magazine|date=19 May 2014|access-date=27 May 2014}}

Until 2007, the former settlement remained uninhabited and largely untouched. The buildings' interiors remained largely as they were when the settlement was abandoned.{{cite news |last1=Kirby |first1=Alex |title=Pulling out of Pyramiden |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/905956.stm |access-date=22 May 2021 |work=BBC News |date=2 September 2000}} In 2012, Aleksandr Romanovsky became the first person to return to live in Pyramiden. He has since been joined by five others. Romanovsky, a musician and tour guide in the settlement, has called himself the "world's most northern head-banger". Romanovsky has lived for years on his own in this abandoned town.{{cite web |last=Beazley |first=David |date=10 October 2016 |title=Pyramiden, Population 6: The Soviet ghost town frozen in time |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXwUnp4Yjsw |access-date=22 May 2021 |website=YouTube |format=Video}}{{Cite web |last=Beazley |first=David |date=9 May 2016 |title=Pyramiden: population 6. The Soviet ghost town frozen in time high in the Arctic {{!}} Aeon Videos |url=https://aeon.co/videos/pyramiden-population-6-the-soviet-ghost-town-frozen-in-time-high-in-the-arctic |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=Aeon |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Beazley |first=David |date=4 October 2016 |title=Pyramiden: population 6 |url=https://vimeo.com/185525719}}

On 27 August 2019, the world's northernmost film festival was held in Pyramiden, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Soviet cinema.{{Cite news|date=26 June 2019 |script-title=ru:Новосибирец оказался на острове за полярным кругом и открыл древний кинотеатр |trans-title=Novosibirsk [Novosibirsk's Stanislav Schubert] found himself on an island beyond the Arctic Circle and reopened an ancient cinema |language=ru |publisher=NGS (Shkulev Media Holding) |url=https://news.ngs.ru/more/66137569/ }} NGS News Report on film festival.

In 2022, Russia announced new investment plans to support its presence in Pyramiden and Barentsburg.{{cite web |last=Rosen |first=Kenneth |date=17 December 2022 |title=A Battle for the Arctic Is Underway. And the U.S. Is Already Behind. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/12/17/climate-change-arctic-00071169 |access-date=2023-08-18 |website=Politico}}

Pyramiden is accessible by boat or snowmobile from Longyearbyen, either as part of a guided tour or independently. There is also the Pyramiden Heliport. There are no restrictions on visiting Pyramiden, but visitors are not allowed to enter any buildings without permission even if they are open. While most buildings are now locked, breaking into the buildings, vandalism and theft of artefacts have become a serious threat to Pyramiden as it contributes to the accelerating deterioration of the buildings.{{RP|182}}

Pyramiden is maintained as a tourist destination by Arctic Travel Company Grumant, a division of Arktikugol. Tours through many buildings are available upon request at the Pyramiden Hotel. The movie theatre has been restored to fully functioning, and movies may now be booked on request. An archive of over 1000 Soviet films is preserved in the storerooms on the site.{{cite news|url=https://arctic.ru/tourism/20200814/962453.html|title=Northernmost movie theater reopens on Spitsbergen|website=Arctic.ru|access-date=13 January 2021}}

Since 2007, Arktikugol has been renovating the hotel and upgrading the infrastructure, including building a new power station with diesel generators, in order to accommodate tourists in the old settlement. Up to 30 workers have been living in the settlement year round to maintain the facilities and guide tourists visiting from Longyearbyen.[http://ruinmemories.org/2012/08/back-in-pyramiden-svalbard/ Back in Pyramiden, Svalbard] {{webarchive|url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130618024857/http://ruinmemories.org/2012/08/back-in-pyramiden-svalbard/ |date=2013-06-18 }}. Elin Andreassen and Hein B. Bjerck, Ruin Memories. {{retrieved|access-date=2013-04-04}}

{{Asof|2013}}, the Pyramiden hotel has been reopened and it is possible to stay overnight in Pyramiden.{{cite web|url=https://snl.no/Pyramiden|title=Pyramiden|website=Store Norske Leksikon|language=no|access-date=13 January 2021}} The hotel also houses the Pyramiden Museum as well as a post office and a souvenir shop. There was a small hotel built of old shipping containers near the harbour, but this has closed since the hotel is now renovated and open for guests.[http://svalbardposten.no/index.php?page=vis_nyhet&NyhetID=3273 Nytt liv for Pyramiden]. Svalbardposten, 6 April 2013. {{retrieved|access-date=2013-04-12}} There are no plans to renovate and reopen the whole settlement.

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• {{cite book|last = Andreassen|first = E.|display-authors = etal|date = 2010|title = Persistent Memories: Pyramiden, a Soviet mining town in the high Arctic|location = Trondheim|publisher = Tapir Academic Press|isbn = 9788251924368}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20181103115027/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/lists/top-ghost-towns-around-the-world/ World's Top Ghost Towns]

{{Svalbard}}

{{Historic Mines of Norway}}

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Category:1910 establishments in Norway

Category:Company towns in Norway

Category:Former populated places in Svalbard

Category:Ghost towns in Europe

Category:Mining communities in Norway

Category:Russian diaspora in Norway

Category:Norway–Soviet Union relations

Category:Populated places established in 1910

Category:Tourist attractions in Svalbard