Svalbard This week in history, 4 March
2020
Svea Nord closes
The last mine at Sveagruva, Svea Nord, was closed on 4 March 2020. A large clean-up has since returned Sveagruva to a near natural state.
History Store norske leksikon
Tuesday 3 March 2026Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59
Daylight 08:09 to 16:12, 8 h 3 min. Midnight sun from 19 April.
Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.
From the timeline, Discovery and whaling
1607
Hudson shows the way for whalers
Only when the Englishman Henry Hudson came to Svalbard in 1607 did people notice the hunting possibilities. English, Dutch, German, French, Danish and Norwegian vessels joined in, and there were several armed clashes between ships from different countries.
History Store norske leksikon
The timeline by era
- 1596Discovery and whaling, 3 entries
- 1715Hunting and expeditions, 4 entries
- 1905The coal town, 6 entries
- 1920The Svalbard Treaty, 4 entries
- 1941War and rebuilding, 4 entries
- 1975The modern town, 3 entries
- 2015The present transition, 6 entries