This Russian Town Was Deserted Overnight and Turned Into a Haunted Ghost Village

The exact details of what caused the sudden abandonment of Pyramiden remain shrouded in mystery, but its history offers some clues. What started as a utopian community for miners flourished for decades until a devastating tragedy caused it to be frozen in time and seemingly abandoned overnight.

You can feel the history of the place as soon as you arrive. With its abandoned houses and weathered docks, it’s like you have stepped back into the past. Svalbard was ceded to Norway in 1920, but other countries were given rights to mine in the area. 

Despite the history that unfolded in Pyramiden, the town is now deserted and left to the effects of time. Its story of being prospected by Sweden and then sold to the Soviets is a reminder of its past.

The abandoned coal power plant and warehouse at Pyramiden are now reminders of the history of this settlement. It’s estimated that over nine million tons of dirty fossil fuel were extracted from the area, and the nearby power plant would have burned through a million tons of it to provide electricity and heating. 

When entering the unoccupied town, with its history etched into its walls and roads, it’s hard not to feel a sense of solemnity. The street named for the 60-Year Jubilee of the Great October is an apt reminder of the town’s past. The old red water pipes from the mine have been skillfully crafted into a welcome sign.

The neglected buildings of the remote town have gone through the test of time and have remained true to their integrity and structure. Many were built on stilts to protect the permafrost beneath them and had rounded edges to soften the effects of the Arctic winds. 

This abandoned farm was once a thriving part of the town’s history. The cowshed, pigsty, hen house, and greenhouses built here provided fresh milk and beef for locals. It also allowed for the cultivation of various plants and vegetables with soil imported from the mainland. 

As you explore the abandoned buildings of Pyramiden, you can still feel the history and legacy of this one-of-a-kind family-orientated mining settlement. There were also buildings that served as a school for the children. 

This ghost town is truly full of history, and the mural outside the school is just a glimpse into its mysterious past. It is a reminder that Pyramiden was a bustling utopia once, with hundreds of people living and working in the buildings. 

When taking a closer look at the belongings scattered around this neglected classroom, it appears as if it was abandoned suddenly. Seemingly as if the inhabitants were forced to leave the room abruptly, the walls are in a sorry state with paint peeling away. 

After leaving the school, the next stop is Pyramiden’s old hospital, now an abandoned building. The unmistakable green-hued relief sculpture depicting the Rod of Asclepius on the exterior marks it as a symbol of healthcare and medicine.

Once a regal neo-classical-style edifice, the cafeteria, which was painted in pastel blue, is now an unused building, just like all the other structures in Pyramiden. It had kept the town’s residents well-fed, especially during the long winters, when fresh meat, eggs, milk, and produce from the nearby farm were in ample supply.

The uninhabited establishment that now houses the main dining hall of this landmark was once an architectural marvel. The ornate staircase that leads to the top of the stairwell is a reminder of its long history, with a stunning mosaic mural depicting an idealized Svalbard landscape.  

The building appears to be abandoned as if its inhabitants left in a hurry. This theory is further bolstered by the presence of dried-out plants scattered around the room. The style of the space is typically Soviet, yet it isn’t as austere as one would expect. 

In comparison to the well-kept dining area, the abandoned building’s canteen kitchen is a stark reminder of the past. The oversized catering grills and ovens, industrial extractor hoods, and the bright red Soviet-era fire extinguisher all tell the story of how this building once was. 

Although Gostinka was initially a vibrant and popular building, it has now been left abandoned. This is due to the worker’s contracts being short-term in nature, and so when the terms of their contracts ended, the occupants left the building. 

Numerous old infrastructures stand tall in the ghost town, all memories of its former occupants slowly fading away. The walls that once echoed with the sound of children’s laughter now echo with the cries of seagulls and the wind.

This old cultural center stands as a testament to the town’s once-thriving culture. It was a place for entertainment and recreation, a place to enjoy cinema, theater, sports, and more. It is a symbol of a time gone by, and its significance is highlighted by the placement of the world’s northernmost statue of Vladimir Lenin in front of it. 

The history of Pyramiden is indeed unique and interesting. This model communist community was built to be an idyllic place to live, with the Palace of Culture packed with amenities, making it a major privilege for those who were lucky enough to secure contracts to work there. 

Pyramiden’s auditorium has a rich history, evident in its design. This grand building was home to many musical performances and theatrical performances, as well as screenings of films. One of the most memorable pieces of the auditorium is the Red Oktober grand piano, the northernmost grand piano on the planet, standing proudly in the center. 

Pyramiden was once a vibrant and thriving Soviet town, and the sports court is proof of this. In the past, the court was regularly used for basketball games and other team sports. It even had a viewing gallery for spectators–a feature that remains to this day. 

They say that libraries hold the key to the past. This is proven true by Pyramiden’s library, which was constructed to create a meaningful and purposeful history that would be remembered for generations to come. The Palace of Culture’s library played an important role in this pursuit, allowing the residents to explore and delve deeper into their history through books and journals. 

This enormous place is called the Yuri Gargarin Sports Complex. Its name is derived from the famous cosmonaut and the first human in space. Pyramiden, which is now a ghost town, was once a powerhouse in the past as a mining town, and due to its connection to the Russian space program. 

Pyramiden’s heated swimming pool was a fabulous luxury and considered one of the town’s major pulls. Its history of welcoming visitors from Longyearbyen, who were said to be green with envy of the Soviet settlement, is evidence of its significance for the town.

Pyramiden is home to many abandoned structures, such as a fire station and jail, and the presence of the KGB office remains as well. It’s fascinating to think of the range of workshops that once occupied the area, and the covered shooting range was an absolute necessity due to polar bears.

Despite the quirky bottle house being abandoned, its history still remains. It was built in 1983 from 5,308 bottles and served as a fun drinking den and hangout. However, once the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Pyramiden lost the subsidies that it relied upon to fund its lavish amenities. 

Pyramiden had a short-lived history as an abandoned “Potemkin village,” a showcase of the ideal communist settlement. However, when the USSR collapsed, it was only a matter of months before the mining town was abandoned due to its dwindling mineral resources and poor quality of extracted coal.

The abandonment of Pyramiden was sealed in August 1996 when a catastrophic plane crash occurred. All 141 people on board perished, with many being mine workers headed to Pyramiden. This incident was the deciding factor for the town’s dissolution. By the mid-1990s, the kindergarten and school had already closed, and most of the women and kids had left. 

The entire town of Pyramiden was left deserted, and its history gradually began to fade away. The aviation accident had a devastating effect on the community, and it brought the Russian government and Arktikugol Trust to make the difficult decision of closing the mine and leaving the town in April 1998. 

Pyramiden was once a Soviet ghost town, but its history wasn’t forgotten. It has since reinvented itself as a tourist attraction, with the old “London” residence converted into a hotel. It opened in 2013 and was refurbished the following year, and visitors flock to the town seasonally to experience its unique and fascinating history. 

What was once a regal place is now nothing more than a ghost town. It’s heartbreaking to think of the people who used to call it home, now scattered to the four winds, never to return. Romanovsky tells a particularly poignant story of two former residents who returned to visit. Their despair was so great that both suffered heart attacks.