Some people say that the pyramid towns in the Soviet Union were abandoned overnight. In fact, however, desertion occurred within a few months. However,1visitors who arrived at the pyramids in the autumn of 998 have reason to draw this conclusion. In this newly vacated town, withered plants are placed on the windowsill; The shelves in the canteen are full of clean plates; There used to be neatly folded sheets on the beds of residents. The equipment used in coal mining-the reason why this town exists-was left by the workers, who pressed the button and were ready to go back to work. It's as if hundreds of people suddenly stopped what they were doing and walked away.

However, the residents never came back. Today, this town is still the same as when the last person left. The pyramids are located in Svalbard between Norway and the North Pole. It can be reached by boat from mid-May to early June 10, when there was no sea ice around the town. But in the cold winter, three months were swallowed up by 24 hours of darkness, and only polar bears occasionally wandered in the pyramid. Pyramid exploration

Back to the heyday of the Soviet Union. Soviet culture, architecture and politics penetrated into this town, from wooden houses to busts of Lenin, statues of the northernmost urban revolutionaries in the world, staring at the main square of the pyramid with fatherly pride. However, to truly appreciate this city, visitors should be familiar with its impressive rise and mysterious decline.

This small town in the western Soviet Union

The unique history of Svalbard makes the existence of pyramids possible. Since17th century, Arctic islands have been used intermittently as bases for whaling and walrus capture. However, at the beginning of the 20th century, people's interest shifted to coal mining. Prior to this, these islands did not belong to any country, and the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Britain and other countries were free to use them. At 1920, the situation changed. Norway, the United States, Britain and a few other countries have formulated the Treaty of Svalbard, granting Norway the right to Svalbard. However, Russia was excluded. Steve Coulson, an Arctic ecologist at Svalbard University Center, said: "Russians are always uneasy about this, because when they signed the treaty, they were engaged in a civil war and were a little forgotten." He has worked and lived there since 199 1.

But Russia has not completely lost its luck. According to the Svalbard Treaty, not all Norwegian laws are applicable to the islands, and all signatories to the Treaty enjoy equal rights to develop and engage in commercial activities in the islands. In the end, Russia and more than 40 other countries soon became signatories.

Compared with any other signatory country, Norway and the newly established Soviet Union especially seized the opportunity to develop business in Svalbard. 1926, Norway established Longyearbyen, which is the most populous town in Svalbard with about 2,000 residents. 1936, the Soviet Union obtained the right to use the pyramids (named after the looming pyramid-shaped mountains above the valley settlements) and the Balent * * * Fort coalfield. Trust arktikukogol, a state-owned coal company founded in 193 1, took on the responsibility of these businesses and took over the ownership of the pyramids and Barents Castle.

The loading dock of the pyramid, tourists come in and out today. (Photo: Rachel Noor) Residents enjoyed hundreds of movies and showed them in the auditorium of the municipal center. (Photo: Rachel Noor) Overlooking the dusty Arctic community center. (Photo: Rachel Noor) The old music room. (Photo: Rachel Noor) Coal mining at the edge of the pyramid. (Photo: Rachel Noor) The northernmost statue of Lenin. (Photo: Rachel Noor) A sweatshirt, probably worn at a basketball game in town. (Photo: Rachel Noor) You can see the Odensky Glacier in the town square on N Street. (Photo: Rachel Noor) The mine bath is just one of the coal mine ruins left in the pyramid. (Photo: Rachel Noor) Photo of former residents found in the community center. (Photo: Rachel Noor) A withered plant left in the cafeteria. (Photo: Rachel Noor) The town museum displays local animal and plant specimens. (Photo: Rachel Noor) Living in Gaobei

At first, the pyramid was a place to sleep, with almost no residents. But after World War II, the Soviet Union allocated more money to this town. They built dozens of new buildings, including a hospital, an entertainment center called the Cultural Palace and a large cafeteria, and painted the Svalbard landscape where the legendary heroes of Norway lived with a huge mosaic. All buildings adopt typical Soviet block style with rounded edges to reduce the influence of cold air.

In the1980s, the height of the town exceeded the pyramid where 1000 people lived. Residents were assigned to different dormitories and soon got their own nicknames. London is a paradise for single men, and Paris is a paradise for a few unmarried women who come to the pyramids (there is also a bar on the first floor of the women's building). This crazy family house is named after the children who often play in the corridor. Finally, Gostinka ("hotel" means "hotel" in Russian, although it is not a hotel) lives in short-term jobs. Over the years, the pyramids have also established a permanent resting place for residents who have suffered unfortunate endings, and built cemeteries for people and cats.

Russian colleagues told Coulson that the Soviets regarded pyramid contracts as promotions and privileges. In the pyramids, the quality of life is much more important than in some parts of the mainland. There is a library, a weightlifting room, a basketball court and an auditorium in the Cultural Palace. There is a row of comfortable red seats in the auditorium for performances and movies. There are 5308 empty glass bottles in this "wine bottle house", which provides a unique place for residents to relax and drink. Music is also important. The northernmost grand piano is a red beer mug, which was shipped with keyboards, accordions and many other musical instruments. In summer, a playground equipped with swings, slides, small climbing frames and football fields is installed and used. The indoor heated swimming pool in the pyramid is the best in Svalbard. Coulson said, "Children near Longyearbyen used to go swimming there." . "I was very impressed at the time."

Aesthetics is also very important. Because of its dramatic mountain background and the nearby Nodensky Glacier and East Fjord, the pyramids have a natural "wow" factor. However, up close, the North Pole is a famous dusty and brown place. Soil nutrients are too poor to support the life of many plants, and muddy erosion is a long-term problem. In order to solve this problem, the Soviet Union imported a lot of soil from present Ukraine. These soils have laid a solid foundation for the biggest beautification project in the Arctic: building a huge artificial lawn. These efforts have been successful. In the summer months, the grass square of the pyramid blooms bright green, and residents further beautify it with sunflower lawn decorations.

Imported soil is also used in greenhouses, where residents grow tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers and decorations. Coulson said that this almost self-sufficient town raises pigs, chickens and cattle by itself, and all the electricity comes from coal mined by workers.

"It was originally an ideal Soviet society." . "This is a small town where foreigners can go without a visa, so it is the best exhibition in the Soviet Union."

Heinbock, an archaeologist at Trondheim University of Technology in Norway, has fond memories of visiting the pyramids and laughing together in late summer. This is their last day at the pyramid. "They asked me to take pictures of them," he recalled. "I wish I had that picture now."

Finally, on June 10, just before the ice arrived, the last permanent resident left. Coulson said: "The town disappeared as soon as it was built. For many years, the residents of Barents Castle took some redundant machines in the pyramids as their own, and regarded this ghost town as a random supply warehouse. But there are still countless relics, from the contents of the small museum in the town, to the costumes of past dance performances, and then to 1000 rolls of film. Prudnikov said: "It is impossible to take everything from the settlement, just because it took 50 years to get it back." In 2006,

Together with photographer Erin andresen and archaeologist Bjor Nulsen, bjork spent a week exploring, filming and recording this abandoned town. During that week, they camped in the former Tulip Hotel (reopened in summer) and cooked in a paraffin camping stove every night. Andresen said, "We were three people together, but we didn't talk much." It was a very thoughtful moment, and I somehow relaxed. "

This is the first time that bjork has visited the town many times when it is inhabited. He can venture into the private rooms of residents. The walls are still covered with maps, natural or animal clippings from magazines, thumbtacks and stickers that say "* * *", "Puma" and "Brooklyn". Many people make their own wind chimes and decorations with paper clips, plastic bottles, ropes and cardboard, which proves the DIY mentality of the town. Bjork said: "For me, if I didn't have a hanger, I would throw my jacket on the chair-I wouldn't do that myself." . Andresen added: "But the wardrobe is full of homemade hangers made of wire."

"Soviet society is always so hidden to us westerners." . "But now we can go anywhere and even see private places that you are not usually allowed to see." Finally, they decided to pile up their discoveries and ideas about the pyramids in a book called Eternal Memory.

When bjork came back on 20 10, he found that many decorations and relics were gone, or others were destroyed and thrown on the ground. Similarly, the contents of many public buildings were also damaged, especially the administrative building, where bookshelves were overturned, documents were scattered all over the floor, and the director's desk was overturned. Although tourists may take some items as souvenirs, bjork suspects that the workers in Barents Castle are the culprit. Bjork said: "The director is a very tough person. If he is not satisfied with what they have done, he may hit others on the head. " . "I think this kind of destruction is a kind of revenge for the workers who came back from Barents."

Although some items have been in disrepair for a long time, the scenery is still intact. Despite frequent floods in spring, imported soil and grass have managed to make people live longer than residents. However, different kinds of oriental residents still live here. Last year, Coulson found several kinds of exotic mites in the soil of the central square of the pyramid, including some mites known to occur only in southern Russia and Ukraine. On the other hand, local mites are almost completely excluded from this area.

In other cases, native species in Svalbard have taken over. Every summer, nesting seagulls scramble to feed on the windowsill and raise young birds. Their cries can be heard everywhere in this abandoned town. Polar bears also pass by from time to time, so they must always carry rifles or gun guides. However, despite the influx of animals, the pyramids will not be completely restored by nature soon. Compared with warm places