Sunday 8 December 2013

The ghost town at the end of the earth

The ghost town at the top of the world: Abandoned settlement of Pyramid where the only resident is a Russian tour guide who has just a pet fox for company



Pyramid is literally frozen in time, captured on camera by Vladimir Prokofiev.
 
This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
An anomaly, it is a deserted Soviet town that is in fact in Norway, just 1300 km from the North Pole. The facility was founded in 1910 by Sweden and sold to the USSR in 1927. And no, it is not in Siberia, but we liked the Arctic pictures and ice-scapes which highlight a spirit of conquering the cold which is a Siberian quality; indeed among the people who came to work here were many from Siberia.
More interesting pics after the cut

This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
'Welcome to the very end of the earth,' said Vladimir Prokofiev, whose amazing images capture a lost Soviet world which is now becoming a tourist attraction for intrepid travellers to this remote outpost. He took the images when he worked here as a guide for the mainly Western tourists in spring. (The Siberian Times)
This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
 This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen. This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
 This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.

This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
 This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
This old mining outpost, called Pyramid and abandoned in 1998, is on the Arctic Ocean island of Spitsbergen.
 Pyramid
Two's company: Mr Prokofiev feeding his pet arctic fox Saigon
An Arctic fox in the settlement of Pyramid
Vladimir takes a selfie in the gym mirro
He also made use of some of the gym equipment
Clean: Vladimir's room at The Tulip is still in good condition despite the last paying guests checking out many years before
 Left behind: This factory looks as if it could have been abandoned a few months ago and many items, including machinery, are still in place
Shoe mountain: A stack of abandoned footwear litters the scuffed floor in the gym
 Derelict: An abandoned gym in the village which has been left to ruse
Animal companion
Stunning: A beautiful glacier 17 km away from Pyramid
 A map showing the location of Spitsbergen Island
Vladimir Prokofiev/The Siberian Times
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