In 1898 Vesteraalske Dampskibsselskab built a hotel on whats now are called Hotellneset (Hotel point) in Lyngyearbyen. People have been facinated by Polar areas.
John Munroe Longyear and his company Arctic Coal founded the settlement when coal-mining begin in Longyearbyen. From 1916 to date Store Norske Spitsbergen Kullkompani win coal in Longyearbyen.In the early 1990s the city has radically changed and around the city there is only one mine left and most of the 2000 inhabitants in Longyearbyen are now employed in research, education and tourism.
The climate in Spitsbergen is mild compared to the location. One of the northernmost settlements in the world benefit from the Golf Stream. At the same time it is a dry place, with the limited amount of rainfall make it a pleasant place to arrive at.Incredible flora and fauna surrounds Longyearbyen. Rich in wildlife, Reindeer, Svalbard Gruose, Polar Fox, and the king of the arctic, the Polar Bear boast the landscapes however it is not recomened to venture outside the city without being accompanied by a local guide.Longyearbyen has all the facilities of a mothern society including several museums.
The founding company of Hurtigruten, VDS bought a pre- fabricated hotel in Trondheim in 1896 and transported it to the place that became Longyearbyen, some years later.This hotel was the center for cruises to Spitsbergen by ships used in Hurtigruten, during the summer. MS Nordstjernen continues this tradition, used allong the Norwegian coast in the winter, and as a cruise-ship at Svalbard in the summer.
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