Pyramiden is an abandoned Soviet mining town located at the far northern edge of Svalbard, deep inside the High Arctic. Founded in 1910 by Swedes, it was sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. Mining grew from 1940, turning Pyramiden into a thriving community by the 1970s and 1980s, with housing, schools, and sports facilities. Life centered around the coal mine, supported by Soviet state funds. The town's decline began in the 1990s as the Soviet Union weakened. Coal reserves were running low and costs rose. A tragic plane crash in 1996 took miners’ lives, marking the final blow. In 1998, the mine shut and people left, leaving behind homes and belongings. Arctic conditions then started to wear down the structures. Roads and drainage broke, and shifting terrain caused damage. Despite decay, many buildings still stand. The town lies beneath a pyramid-shaped mountain, its natural symbol, often veiled by Arctic weather. After a decade of silence, Russian authorities reopened Pyramiden to tourists. They stabilized key buildings and run short stays, but the town remains quiet and remote. Today, Pyramiden is a unique stop for travelers seeking Arctic history and wilderness. It is no longer a living town, but not a museum either. Pyramiden simply stands frozen in time, a cold witness to its industrial and political past.