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Tempelfjord

Nature and history in innermost Isfjord

Sassenfjord and Tempelfjord are located in innermost Isfjord, north-east of Longyearbyen.

General

Tempelfjord is the innermost (easternmost) part of the Isfjord. The landscape is very beautiful, characterised by distinctive mountains such as Templet (‘The Temple’), which also gave the fjord its name. As Tempelfjord is close to Longyearbyen, it is a popular and very worthwhile destination for day trips both in summer by boat and in late winter (March/April) by snowmobile, which are offered as guided tours by various operators in Longyearbyen. From 1 March, however, snowmobiles are only allowed to cross the fjord ice on the shortest safe route between Fredheim and Kapp Murdoch (route to Pyramiden) or Kapp Schoultz (to reach the huts, not really a destination for tourists), stopping is only permitted if necessary for technical reasons. The fjord ice can be travelled on legally until the end of February, but at that time the fjord is rarely frozen solid enough (if at all). Non-motorised traffic is not affected by these legal restrictions.

View from Mount Fjordnibba over the wintery Tempelfjord.

Impressions of winter tours in Tempelfjord (in part from times when the above-mentioned restrictions did not yet exist):

April 2013
May 2013
April 2024 (in the inner Tempelfjord ski tour to Tunabreen)

Tempelfjord borders the glacier areas of eastern Spitsbergen (Sabine Land, Olav V Land). The outer part of this arm of the fjord is called Sassenfjord. This subdivision of a fjord by name is somewhat confusing. Geographically, it actually makes some sense, as the Sassenfjord is an extension of the Sassendalen (valley). Strictly speaking, the Tempelfjord is also a drowned side valley of this partially drowned Sassendalen-Sassenfjord valley. The Sassenfjord has its own page (click here).

Tempelfjord panorama

Some places in the Tempelfjord have their own pages with more photos, including 360-degree panoramic images, and more detailed information:

Fredheim, one of Spitsbergen’s most famous trapper’s huts.
Kapp Schoultz, where attempts were once made to mine gypsum (anhydrite).
The mountain Fjordnibba with beautiful views over Tempelfjord.
The impressive Tunabreen glacier in inner Tempelfjord.
The ship in the ice no longer exists, but it was a very cool thing back then.

The Tunabreen glacier in innermost Tempelfjord in winter.

Geology

Essentially Permo-Carboniferous sediments, i.e. sedimentary rocks with an age of a good 300 million years. The Carboniferous consists of limestones, evaporites (anhydrite/gypsum) and clastic sediments (sandstone, etc.), while the overlying Permian consists mainly of the fossil-bearing limestones that can be found in many places in Svalbard.

Landscape

The scenic highlight in Tempelfjord, apart from the mountain that gives it its name, is the glacier front of Tunabreen. This used to share a calving front with Von Postbreen, but the latter has retreated so far that it no longer reaches the shore, but ends on land in a huge moraine landscape.

The eponymous mountain Templet on the north side of the fjord.

As in other places, the hard Permian carbonates here also form conspicuous steep steps in the mountain slopes, which are carved into tower-like protrusions by erosion. One of the most famous mountains in Spitsbergen is Templet, the ‘Temple Mountain’, on the north side of Tempelfjord, where these cliffs are particularly beautifully formed (as well as in Skansbukta on the west side of the Billefjord). Inside the fjord, the glaciers of Tunabreen and Von Postbreen and the surrounding mountain scenery are the obvious eye-catcher.

The coast on the north side of Tempelfjord is mostly steep, with mostly only narrow beaches and flat lowland limited to a few places. There are particularly beautiful series of ancient raised beach ridges in Gipsdalen and east of Tempelfjellet on Bjonapynten, the little peninsula next to Bjonahamna.

Raised beaches at Bjonahamna.

On the south side of the fjord, the mountains east of Sassendalen have the same structure as Templet. The mountain Fjordnibba to the east of Sassendalen is a popular excursion destination, especially in winter, with a great view of the fjord. Sassendalen is one of the largest ice-free valleys in Spitsbergen and its sheer size is impressive. In winter, it is a snowmobile motorway where you can quickly cover long distances; in summer, it is hard walking due to the extensive wetlands in the tundra and the large river.

Flora and fauna

There are several bird cliffs on steep cliffs, such as Templet and Fjordnibba. There are many arctic foxes and reindeer in the area, and polar bears are also frequently seen.

A few impressions of the flora and fauna in Tempelfjord:

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History

Nothing is known of 16th century whalers in Tempelfjord; the Pomors were certainly active in the area. Intensive hunting by Norwegian trappers began in the late 19th century. Hilmar Nøis, already a legend on Spitsbergen during his lifetime, built himself a not-so-little house here with Fredheim – one of the few two-storey trapper’s huts on Spitsbergen, which turned into a cosy home after Nøis‘ wife moved in. His first wife did not like it, also due to mental problems during the polar night, but Nøis’ second wife, Helfrid Nøis, found it quite cosy and spent a number of years there together with Hilmar until it was finally time to retire due to age).

The Fredheim trapper station

As mentioned, Hilmar Nøis’ famous trapper station Fredheim has its own page with a virtual tour, but let’s also have some photos here. In 2015, the three huts were towed a little further away from the shore to protect them from advancing coastal erosion. The first 6 pictures (up to the polar bears) show Fredheim in its original position before the move, then you can see the new, higher position.

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Tempelfjord: Gypsum mining at Kapp Schoultz

An attempt to mine gypsum took place early in the 20th century at Kapp Schoultz on the south side of Tempelfjord, and some remains of the mines are still visible. The deposit soon turned out to be economically worthless.

Old gypsym mine, Kapp Schoultz, Tempelfjord

Remains of gypsum mining at Kapp Schoultz.

There are still two cabins at Kapp Schoultz today, both of which are private (one is used by an association in Longyearbyen, the other has private owners).

Photo collection: Kapp Schoultz

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Bjonahamna

Opposite Fredheim is the small bay Bjonahamna under the slopes of Templet on the north side of Tempelfjord, with beautiful series of fossil beach ridges on the headland Bjonapynten.