Pyramiden
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Pyramiden (Swedish and Norwegian, 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, with a one time population of over 1,000 inhabitants,[1] was abandoned January 10, 1998 by its owner, the state-owned Russian company Arctikugol Trust, and is now a ghost town. Within the buildings things remain exactly as they were left, 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-east and the small research community of Ny-Ålesund, 100 km to the west.
A book has been written about Pyramiden by Norwegian author Kjartan Fløgstad.[2]
Pyramiden is currently being re-developed by the Russians, to accommodate tourists. 5-6 people are currently stationed there to upgrade the facilities.
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