Protects Svalbard Radio History

Published at: Sep 15 2023 - 15:06 / Updated at: Sep 15 2023 - 15:06

Isfjord radio has been central to Norwegian and international radio and telecommunications. The radio station is now protected as an important cultural monument for the history of Svalbard.

"Isfjord radio is a cultural monument that shows how important communication technology has always been, especially in areas where the distances to the outside world are so great", says Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide (Labor) in a press release from the Government.

"The radio station was established to maintain contact between Svalbard and the mainland and to make ship traffic to Svalbard and throughout the Arctic Ocean safer."

When the station was operational, it was the hub for communication between Svalbard and the mainland, whether it was radiotelegraphy, telephone, broadcasting service, or satellite. The radio station and lighthouse secured ship traffic to Svalbard and in and out of Isfjorden.

In the late 1950s and onwards, Isfjord radio was a prerequisite for intercontinental scheduled flights to fly over the North Pole, and today, Isfjord radio is both a tourism destination and a technical remote-controlled station for communication, meteorology, and navigation.