Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway
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Continued from page 9

ABOVE: Foundation posts from Gamle Longyearbyen, or Old Longyearbyen, which was burned to the ground by the German armed forces in World War II. INSET BELOW: A "snøscooter" parking sign.

Longyearbyen photos

On this page and the 20 pages that follow, you'll find pictures of scenes from Longyearbyen. In many cases, the captions expand on information in this article.

Note: Longybearbyen is more attractive at close range than it is in photographs. The seemingly brown and drab landscape is covered with lichens and other vegetation, buildings are mostly well-maintained, and the shopping district has a modern, prosperous, well-kept look. (Just try to ignore the parked snowmobiles that litter the town's parking lots and back yards.) I suspect that the town is at its prettiest in winter, when the slopes of the valley are covered with snow and the colorful houses stand out against the white landscape.

Next page: More photos

Longyearbyen tourist information:

Hotels, guesthouses, camping

Restaurants

Shopping

Arrival and departure

Planning tips, Web links

Photos with captions