Longyearbyen - Summer 2008

July 20^th to 24^th

Longyearbyen is the entry port to Svalbard - the only civilian airport is located here, and no matter where you are travelling, you pass by Svalbard's main town.

• First impression - the view along Adventdalen right after arrival.
• Perpendicular to Adventdalen lies Longyeardalen, with Longyearbyen itself.
• The bright houses in Lia, on the east end of Longyearbyen.
• Longyearbyen sundial, with view across Lia into Adventdalen.
• The city center, and Lia behind it - viewed across Longyeardalen - in the front, a remainder from the coal mining days.
• The old post office.
• And the cemetery. It is forbidden to bury the dead, only cremation (and burial of the ashes) is allowed - since the permafrost will push out of the ground all big objects…
• The old Julenissegrua, or Santa Claus Mine - it was bombed by the Germans in 1942, and the mine burned until 1962… When you send your wishes to Santa, they are delivered up there.
• Byrein, or City Reindeer…
• They are actually wild reindeer, but they come grazing downtown where the grass is better…
• Sukkertoppen, right above Lia.
• Sykehustrappa… The (world's norternmost) hospital is now downtown. Gamlebyen, or the Old Town, is where the (world's northernmost) church is located.
• A downtown stroll - Tufted Saxifrage (Saxifraga cespitosa).
• More Tufted Saxifrage.
• Marsh Saxifrage (Saxifraga hirculus).
• Svalbard Saxifrage.
• Svalbard poppy (Papaver dahlianum), Svalbard's "National flower".
• Some pretty grass - I have trouble identifying grass… But don't take anything for granted, here - grass does not grow everywhere.
• Svalbard poppy.
• White Arctic Bell-heather (Cassiope tetragona).
• Beautiful Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala).
• Tufted Saxifrage.
• Some more elegant grass.
• Hairy Horsewort (Pedicularis hirsuta).
• Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia).
• A Ranunculus collecting rainwater.
• White Arctic Bell-heather.
• 78°13' N 15°37' E - Longyearbyen.
• Downtown reindeer.
• City center in the sun!
• The former cable car connection to the newer mines outside town - now coal transport is done with trucks.
• The sun dial… with sun.
• From my wanderings around Longyearbyen, suffice this picture from Nordenskiöldtoppen (1050m), the highest peak in the neighbourhood - with a weather station.
• Polar Campion (Silene uralensis) on Skjeringa, on the way up to Platåberget..
• Little auks on Platåberget.
• Some more grass.
• In the Funktionærmessen Restaurant there is this rather interesting picture of Longyearbyen, with Sverdrupbyen in the left foreground - note that City Center has not been built yet, and Sverdrupbyen still exists. When the mines in Longyeardalen closed, Sverdrupbyen was abandoned and used by the fire brigade for training - and gradually they burned down almost all of the buildsing… Nybyen front right, Sverdrupbyen front left, just behind it Huset. Back left Sjeringa, back right the old part of Lia.

On to Pyramiden | Back to Svalbard - Summer 2008