Svalbard Global Seed Vault

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Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a Structure and Cultural Center in Longyearbyen, Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the world’s ultimate insurance policy for food crops, cut deep into a frozen mountainside above Longyearbyen on the Svalbard archipelago. It is often called the doomsday vault. Opened by the Norwegian government in February 2008, it holds duplicate samples of seeds from gene banks all over the world, more than a million varieties of wheat, rice, beans and countless other crops, safeguarded against war, disaster and the loss of the collections held elsewhere. The setting was chosen with care. Buried in rock and permafrost far above sea level, the seeds stay cold even if the power fails, and Svalbard’s remoteness keeps them safe. Only a stark concrete portal, lit by an artwork that glows against the polar dark, shows above the snow, and the vault itself is closed to the public. It stands at around 78°N, deep inside the auroral zone, and on a clear winter night the northern lights ripple over its glowing doorway and the mountains beyond.

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Where to find Svalbard Global Seed Vault?

78°14'8"N, 15°29'27"E

Aurora hunting in Longyearbyen?

The aurora season here runs from October to February, with the best chances of seeing the Northern Lights in November, December and January.

What do people think of Svalbard Global Seed Vault?

  • Nothing special. A concrete shack with a garland on the roof in the middle of nowhere. If the road isn't cleared, don't bother. We drove in and got stuck.

    Ничего особенного. Бетонная будка с гирляндой на крыше в чистом поле. Если дорога не чищена, не суйтесь. Мы поехали и провалились.

    Vasyl A25 December 2012

  • Noah's Ark of the future, built 130m deep for use of all plant species in the world after major disasters👍 A storehouse where more than 2.5 billion types and varieties of seeds are replaced every 10 years

    Dünyadaki tüm bitki türlerinin büyük felaketler sonrası kullanılması için 130 mt. derinde kurulan geleceğin Nuhun Gemisi👍2,5 milyardan fazla tür ve çeşit tohumun her 10 yılda bir değiştirildiği ambar

    S K22 January 2017

  • Humanity's last hope!

    Rob13 January 2017

  • Free of charge to watch from the outside...

    Finn B24 October 2016

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