A Cultural Landscape Emerges: Analyzing the Evolution of Two Historic North Pole Expedition Bases in Virgohamna, Svalbard, from Trash to a Protected Cultural Heritage Site

Abstract

The identification and preservation of cultural landscapes worthy of protection is a challenging task, as their significance is often not immediately apparent. Analyzing the process through which a site or landscape became a heritage site and understanding the historical context and the factors that contributed to its designation allows making informed decisions on the management and preservation of the site. To provide research-based knowledge, this paper aims to analyze the transformation of the degraded remains of the North Pole expedition bases of Andrée and Wellman in Virgohamna, Svalbard, into a protected historic landscape and the subsequent emergence of the site as a current popular tourist destination. Virgohamna serves as an illustrative case for examining the heritagization process of cultural heritage sites in Svalbard. This article adopts a multidisciplinary approach, drawing upon case studies, mapping and categorizing the historic and current landscape, the condition and vulnerability assessment of historic remains, behavior studies on visiting tourists and guides on-site, expert interviews, and document studies. The findings highlight the complex processes that have influenced the making of the cultural heritage landscape in Virgohamna, the enduring narrative associated with the site, and the need for continued efforts to ensure the preservation and dissemination of its historical significance. Analyzing the process through which Virgohamna has become a heritage site and understanding the historical context and the factors that have contributed to its designation as a heritage site has the potential to enhance comprehension regarding historical importance and heritage values. Furthermore, it might facilitate engaging stakeholders and formulating management approaches and provide insights for policy suggestions. The comprehensive examination serves as a foundation for responsible and sustainable heritage management, ensuring the preservation and promotion of Virgohamna’s cultural heritage for present and future generations.

Exploring Vulnerability Indicators: Tourist Impact on Cultural Heritage Sites in High Arctic Svalbard

“…The number of visited sites has also risen in this period [11,12]. As the historic sites are amongst the most popular landing sites in the Archipelago, the combination of impacts from tourism and climate change degrade the historic remains at an ever-increasing pace [13][14][15]. With this increase, significant European cultural heritage is affected.…”

“…Presently, the visitors leave visible traces of impact on the heritage sites. If this trend continues, important cultural heritage values will be lost [5,14,16].…”

“…While vulnerability assessments are common in heritage conservation, there is no standardised methodology specifically designed to assess the risks and vulnerabilities of cultural heritage sites due to visitors [4,14]. To implement effective measures, it is crucial to understand the factors that contribute to the degradation of cultural heritage sites by tourists [17].…”

“…The literature acknowledges that cultural heritage sites are recognised as tourist attractions, and their values are appreciated by the public, i.e., [14,[19][20][21]. However, on Svalbard, it appears that most tourists are primarily interested in experiencing the natural environment and wildlife, with cultural heritage sites being secondary attractions [4,7].…”

“…However, on Svalbard, it appears that most tourists are primarily interested in experiencing the natural environment and wildlife, with cultural heritage sites being secondary attractions [4,7]. The visits to these sites have resulted in pronounced wear and tear, prompting the implementation of various management measures [4,5,8,14,22]. Previous research conducted in the field has explored the consequences of heritage-based tourism on socio-cultural, physical, and economic environments, i.e., [4,5,14,[23][24][25].…”