Pyramiden is the abandoned Soviet mining town found in a remote coastal inlet on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen. Once a thriving community of workers who enjoyed shared-living in this hostile and isolated location, the collapse of the Soviet Union initiated a sudden and complete removal of the town’s population. On March 31, 1998, the last coal was extracted from the mine and the last permanent resident left by October 10. Seemingly frozen in time, the town remains largely preserved in part due to the frigid conditions with only a couple of residents to greet and guide curious tourists and its vast population of gulls.
Still owned by the state-owned Russian mining company Arktikugol Trust, which also owns the settlement of Barentsberg, Pyramiden once had over 1,000 inhabitants. Among its amenities were a cultural centre with a theatre, a library, art and music studios; a sports complex; and a cantina open 24 hours a day. It also had a primary school.
