Pyramiden was a mining community founded by Sweden in 1910 and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. Named after the pyramid-shaped mountain of the same name nearby, Pyramiden is now visited by seagulls, polar foxes and, not infrequently, polar bears.
Tourists visit by boat in the summertime and by snowmobile in winter.
Seeing Pyramiden is like stepping into a time machine. The architecture and buildings are so well preserved that many visitors feel like they are ‘Back in the USSR’. When the mine was closed, and the settlement abandoned, everyone left hurriedly. Cups were left on tables, newspaper clippings on the walls and skis abandoned in the corridors. The beautiful indoor swimming pool and painstakingly made cultural centre both feature Soviet-era architecture and bear witness to the settlement’s golden days.
Ready to discuss your trip to Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
Speak to one of our travel specialists and we’ll create your personalised itinerary just for you.