Longyearbyen: The Northernmost City on Earth Where Dying Is Forbidden by Law (10 photos)

Longyearbyen is the world's northernmost settlement, with a population of about two thousand. Situated on the Svalbard archipelago, home to polar bears, literally every local carries a gun. There are also sled dog parks and abandoned mines, around which the town actually arose.





British traveler and journalist Sadie Whitelocks recounts her summer trip to Longyearbyen, the largest settlement and capital of the Norwegian province of Svalbard on the Svalbard archipelago.



"Even though it was two in the morning when I arrived in Longyearbyen, it was as bright as day, and the temperature hovered below 10 degrees Celsius," the journalist recounts. "I ventured from Oslo to this tiny town of about 2,200 residents. I spent two days there, learning about the history of this former coal mining center and the remnants of its past left to rust in the cold climate."





The town was named after its founder, engineer and entrepreneur John Munro Longyearbyen, who established a coal mine here in 1906. In 1916, the settlement was sold to a Norwegian company.

During World War II, after the occupation of Norway in 1940, Longyearbyen's residents were evacuated to the United Kingdom. The town itself and many of its mines were destroyed in 1943 by shelling from German warships, but they were quickly rebuilt after the war.



The sign warns residents and visitors that polar bears can be found throughout Svalbard.

Polar bears have a special relationship here. Since Svalbard is a bear kingdom, virtually all residents carry a gun in case of an attack, and every student at the local university learns to shoot during their first days of classes.



"Pistols and rifles are prohibited in stores."

Yes, this small settlement has its own university, making the capital of Svalbard a unique place: it is home to the world's northernmost university, the northernmost hospital, a library, and so on.

Since locals travel by snowmobile and dog sled during the winter months, there are even special "parking areas" for dogs.



Sign: "Please do not leave your dogs here. Parking is provided on flagpoles."

"Walking along the town's main street, lined with souvenir and street shops, I decided to continue into the valley, where I spotted a glacier in the distance. After passing dozens of colorful houses in brick and dark green hues (the town employs a dedicated color consultant to ensure all buildings are painted in appropriate shades), the landscape around me became wilder," the journalist continues.



On the dark hillsides, the journalist spotted several abandoned coal mines with wooden shacks.

Coal mining in the town and its surroundings had almost ceased by the early 1990s, and today the output of the town's only operating mine is used primarily to power the town's power plant.



Today, this once-mining town has become a major tourist destination in Norway, attracting thousands of tourists annually to experience the magnificent Arctic nature.



Since the mid-20th century, the authorities have been working to normalize life in the city and develop social infrastructure. During these same years, tourism and scientific research began to significantly develop. The opening of the airport in 1975 was a significant event in the life of Longyearbyen, which gradually developed into a tourist destination.



Interesting fact: Longyearbyen has a law prohibiting death on its territory. If someone becomes seriously ill or suffers a potentially fatal incident, they must be immediately transported to another part of Norway to die. But even if a death occurs in the city, the deceased are still buried on the mainland. This is because, in the permafrost, bodies do not decompose at all after burial, attracting predators.