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Longyearbyen - Arctic colors

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Overview

Longyearbyen is like a portal to a magical sub-polar world. Just about every Svalbard experience begins here, but if you came to Svalbard and spent the whole time in Longyearbyen (Svalbard's only town of any size), you'd leave disappointed. That's because although Longyearbyen enjoys a superb backdrop including two glacier tongues, Longyearbreen and Lars Hjertabreen, the town itself is fringed by abandoned mining detritus and the waterfront is anything but beautiful, with shipping containers and industrial buildings. The further you head up the valley towards the glaciers, the more you'll appreciate being here. Even so, Longyearbyen is a place to base yourself for trips out into the wilderness rather than somewhere to linger for its own sake.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Wild Photo Gallery

    Wild Photo Gallery

    Longyearbyen

    This gallery of stunning Svalbard photos by Ole J酶rgen Liodden and Roy Mangersnes is small but filled with utterly unforgettable images. A book that鈥�

  • Global Seed Vault

    Svalbard Global Seed Vault

    Longyearbyen

    Deep inside a mountain, down beneath the permafrost, a vast artificial cavern, already dubbed the Doomsday Vault or a vegetarian Noah's Ark, was opened in鈥�

  • Svalbard Bryggeri

    Svalbard Bryggeri

    Longyearbyen

    Having opened for business in 2015, Svalbard's very own brewery makes the very quaffable Spitsbergen IPA, Spitsbergen Pilsener and Spitsbergen Pale Ale 鈥撯��

  • Svalbard museum of Longyearbyen.

    Svalbard Museum

    Longyearbyen

    Museum is the wrong word for this impressive exhibition space. Themes on display include life on the edge formerly led by whalers, trappers, seal and鈥�

  • Galleri Svalbard

    Galleri Svalbard

    Longyearbyen

    Galleri Svalbard features the Svalbard-themed works of renowned Norwegian artist K氓re Tveter (1922鈥�2012), so pure and cold they make you shiver, as well鈥�

  • North Pole Expedition Museum

    North Pole Expedition Museum

    Longyearbyen

    This fascinating private museum houses a stunning collection of artefacts, original newspapers and other documents relating to the history of polar鈥�

  • Wooden Steps

    Wooden Steps

    Longyearbyen

    Some 50m south of Svalbard Kirke stand five weathered wooden steps, all alone, and a sign, 'Sykhustrappa' (Hospital Stairs). This is all that remains of鈥�

  • Svalbard Kirke

    Svalbard Kirke

    Longyearbyen

    The wooden Svalbard Kirke was first built in the 1920s but later rebuilt after being destroyed in the German invasion of WWII. It's a largely modern鈥�

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