Norsk
Barentsburg [78° 03.9' N 14° 13.5' E]By Bjørn Fossli Johansen (ed.), Jørn Henriksen, Øystein Overrein, Kristin PrestvoldThe settlement closest to the Norwegian administrative centre in Svalbard is the Russian mining town of Barentsburg. In its beautiful setting in Grønfjorden, the town is in stark contrast to the landscape around it. Barentsburg differs from Longyearbyen in being a community based around its dominant industry: mining. But there is also a small tourism industry respresented by a hotel, a souvenir shop and a museum. For many visitors it is interesting just to walk the streets, look at the architecture and get in touch with the locals.  Take care:
Barentsburg is located on the east side of Grønfjorden. The rich coal seam was visible on this side of the fjord and in the early 20th century several companies with plans of exploiting coal annexed this area.
In 1916 the company De Russiske Kulfelter Green Harbour opened a mine in Gladdalen. During the first years of activity the installation was gradually expanded to become quite large in scale for its time.
In 1920 the installation was sold to the newly established Dutch company Nederlandsche Spitsbergen Compagnie (NESPICO) and was renamed Barentsburg after the Dutch seafarer, Barentsz, who first discovered Svalbard. The Dutch invested a lot here during the following years. The living quarters for the company’s workers were very good, surpassing the standard of the other mining communities in Svalbard in the 1920s. Due to a shortage of funds the activity was discontinued in 1926.
During the following years NESPICO maintained a crew of watchmen in the mining town. Attempts to raise fresh capital were unsuccessful and in 1932 all installations and claims were sold to the Russian company Trust Arktikugol. The Russians developed the mining town and in 1935 the restructuring of the mines and the infrastructure was completed.
Barentsburg was shelled and burnt and virtually demolished when the German battle ship Tirpitz attacked in 1943. After the war the town was rebuilt. The large coal storage, situated centrally in Barentsburg, is one of the few remains from the NESPICO period. This is the single largest protected cultural remain in Svalbard. This installation and the large mess building are the only pre-war constructions.
After the war old and new mines were opened. In the beginning of the 1950s the rebuilding of Barentsburg was finished and production had nearly regained its prewar level. Production increased in the 1960s and 1970s.
During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s work in Barentsburg was sought after. It was well paid and workers were encouraged to participate in the activities organized at the settlement’s culture centre and sports hall. The food supply from the mainland was good and the food was free. There was also a limited production of vegetables, milk, meat and eggs at the settlement.
Up until 1970 most of the buildings in Barentsburg were simple cog-jointed timber houses of two or three stories. In the 1970s and 1980s several brick buildings were built. Today Barentsburg’s streets and blocks of flats and are characteristically Russian. The Russian settlement is of significant architectural interest.
Landing sitesBarentsburg can accommodate most vessels. Besides the wharf there is a smaller floating quay for sailboats and smaller vessels. There is a relatively low harbour fee (compared to Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund), but it is recommended to order a place *alongside in advance, especially in the peak tourist season. Recommended trailsStart at the Harbour Office, an easily located green building. From here you can mount the approximately 250 steps up to the Mess building’s entrance. It is worth taking notice of the waste baskets placed around town – shaped like penguins, a species that does not belong in the Arctic. The top of the stairs is a good starting point to explore the town, which is centred around the entrance to the coal mine. To the right of the Mess are the town square and the cultural and sports building. This building also houses a souvenir shop, offering everything from Soviet-era pins to big, warm hats. The shop has lots of locally produced crafts. Norwegian currency is accepted. If you follow the concrete street to the right, above the cultural and sports building, you will see the hotel at the end of the street. On this street you will also find the Pomor Museum, which hosts a good geological collection and an archaeological exhibition about Pomor history in Svalbard. The mining company Trust Arktikugol has their building in this street. In addition there are several brightly coloured wooden buildings here. Most of these buildings are from the 1980s. The observant visitor can see that there are wooden boxes at many of the windows – these work as refrigerators. In some buildings kittiwakes have established nests in or on top of the window frames – an urban bird cliff. Unless told otherwise it is common courtesy to take off outdoor shoes when entering buildings. There is an exception from this rule in the souvenir shop. You can avoid the stairs up to the town by taking the gravel road that turns up the hill. For visitors interested in birds this may be an attractive option as the sewage running under the road and into the sea a few hundred metres s north of the wharf often attracts ivory gulls. Wildlife in the Arctic is extremely opportunistic and in Barentsburg you will find several examples illustrating this. Glaucous gulls usually nest on the grassy slope above the sewage and there are often ducks in this area. During the summer, there is always a slight chance of seeing white whales (belugas). From time to time groups of belugas pass quite close to the wharf. The viewing platform outside the Mess affords quite a good view of the fjord. If you walk up the gravel road to the town you’ll pass the football pitch and the chapel that was built after a tragic plane crash on 29 August 1996 when 141 people were killed and the year afterward when 23 miners were killed in a mining accident. Below the football pitch there is a copy of a Pomor building.
Published July 2008 |
The Cruise Handbook is also available in book formHard cover with numerous pictures - 249 pages - NOK 249.00 Norwegian Polar Institute |