Amsterdamøya

Amsterdamøya ( German Amsterdam Island) is an uninhabited island in the far northwest of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago and one of Albert I country. In the 17th century was on its southeast coast of the then most important Dutch whaling station Smeerenburg.

Geography

The island has an approximately triangular plan. It is about eight miles long, up to four miles wide, and 18.8 km ². From the flat tip to the southeast, the land rises gently to the west, reaches a height of 472 in Hollendarberget m and then breaks off in steep cliffs. There are several small glaciers, such as the Annabreen and Hiertabreen as well as some lakes such as the Gjøavatnet in the northwest of the island. From the south island Danskøya Amsterdamøya is separated by the Danskegattet ( Dänentor ), from the island of Spitsbergen by the Smeerenburgfjord.

The cliffs of Søre Salatberget home to a colony of Little Auks and other birds, which has existed for at least 500 years. Was named the mountain after which grow there and genuine spoon herb that has been consumed by the whalers Smeerenburgs as an effective remedy against scurvy.

History

Amsterdamøya was spotted for the first time in 1596 by Willem Barents, when he discovered in search of the Northeast Passage Spitsbergen. From 1614 Dutch whalers used the island as a base for hunting in the surrounding waters. Five years later, they built on the south bank Amsterdamøyas the first permanent building of the whaling station Smeerenburg, which was the most important in the whole of Svalbard. In its heyday in the 1630s, it consisted of 17 buildings. Eight blubber ovens were operated.

After an attack of Basque whalers on the Dutch station on the island of Jan Mayen stayed during the winter 1633/34 seven men both at Jan Mayen and on Amsterdamøya to guard the stations. While on Jan Mayen all men died of scurvy, the first wintering in Smeerenburg was successful. In the winter of 1634/35 but died the entire crew here. As of 1640, the descent Smeerenburgs started because near the coast were to find no more whales. Approximately 1660 Smeerenburg was abandoned and left to decay. The port was only occasionally visited by ships.

Some discoverers and explorers visited Amsterdamøya, so Constantine Phipps in 1773, Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1838 and Otto Torell 1858.

Since 1973 Amsterdamøya belongs to Nordvest - Spitsbergen National Park.