Ny-Ålesund

Ny-Ålesund is a research settlement on the northwestern coast of Spitsbergen, positioned along the southern shore of Kongsfjorden at 79 degrees north latitude. The facility comprises several scientific stations, a small airport, a harbor, and a handful of preserved buildings from the mining era.

The place began in 1916 as a coal mining settlement and operated mines until 1962, when a fatal accident ended extraction. The site gradually transformed into an international research base now jointly operated by several countries.

Research teams from eleven nations work side by side in shared laboratories, studying Arctic phenomena in an environment without permanent civilian infrastructure. The international staff rotates between summer and winter seasons, maintaining a small year-round presence dedicated to long-term climate and atmospheric monitoring.

Visitors need permission to enter and must observe radio silence within a 20-kilometer (12-mile) radius to avoid interfering with scientific measurements. The post office offers stamps and special postmarks, while the museum provides context about mining and polar expeditions.

Roald Amundsen launched his North Pole expedition from here in 1926 using the airship Norge, whose mooring mast still stands at the original spot. The former telegraph station building now houses a small museum displaying original mining-era equipment.