Barentsburg, Russian mining settlement in Grønfjorden, Svalbard, Norway.
Barentsburg is a Russian mining settlement on Grønfjorden in Svalbard, Norway. Wooden and concrete apartment blocks stand beside supply buildings, coal extraction facilities and a research center close to the shoreline.
A Dutch company founded the settlement in 1920 and later sold it to a Soviet enterprise that took control in 1932. Coal extraction has remained the economic foundation of the community ever since.
The settlement takes its name from Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz, who sailed through these northern waters during the 16th century. Today Russian and Ukrainian families gather in a school, a kindergarten and a cultural center that form the social heart of the community.
Boat services run from Longyearbyen during the summer months, while snowmobile tours offer access in winter. The waterfront location makes arrival by boat straightforward, and many buildings lie within walking distance of each other.
The settlement hosts one of only two Russian consulates in Norway and a Lenin statue stands in front of the administration building. Miners still work in the coal mine beneath the surface of the fjord.
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