ARKHANGELSK, July 23. /TASS/. The Arctic Floating University expedition conducted urgent work at the Eira House on the Bell Island, the Franz Josef Land archipelago, the expedition's leader Alexander Saburov told TASS from aboard the Professor Molchanov scientific research vessel. The Eira House, built in 1881, is the oldest survived building on Franz Josef Land and on high-latitude Arctic islands.
"The Arctic Floating University expedition's participants jointly with inspectors of the Russian Arctic National Park have unloaded building materials - we have brought timber and lining for restoration of the oldest building on the Franz Josef Land archipelago, the Eira House, built in 1881 by the Benjamin Leigh Smith expedition," he said. "Also, the national park's inspectors have started working, work on screed walls. We, of course, are very happy to participate in such a significant event to preserve Franz Josef Land's historical and cultural heritage."
The Eira House, or Eira Lodge, is the first building built on Franz Josef Land. The expedition of British traveler Benjamin Leigh Smith built it in 1881 as a base for the expedition, as the polar explorers planned to spend the winter there. A few days after the house was built, ice crushed the expedition's schooner, the Eira, near Cape Flora of the Northbrook Island. People managed to survive, though they did not make it to the Bell Island, and had to winter in a hut they made from the ship remains, and in 1882 they sailed on boats to Novaya Zemlya.
The oldest house in the Arctic
The Eira House is different from all other buildings on the archipelago. It is an example of Scandinavian wooden architecture of the late 19th century. On other Arctic islands, such as the Greenland or Spitsbergen, used to be buildings older than the Lodge, but by now only their ruins have remained, the Russian Arctic National Park’s Head of the Historic and Cultural Heritage Department Evgeny Yermolov told TASS.
"On Spitsbergen, there are 17th-century buildings, but they are just ruins. On the Greenland, there are only pits from buildings of the 14th century. Therefore, the Eira House now is the oldest and northernmost structurally preserved monument of the high-latitude Arctic," he said.
A few years ago, experts confirmed the Eira House was in the pre-emergency condition. The structure is "spreading", the roof is pressing on the walls, thus it is important to tie them up and fix. The Professor Molchanov vessel has brought two cubic meters of lumber and tools for further work, which is likely to be next year. It is necessary to repair the foundation, the roof, and floors. Currently, entering the Eira House is prohibited.
Chronicles on the walls
The house keeps a true chronicle of Franz Josef Land. The Lodge's builders, led by Leigh Smith, left signatures on the walls, and, further on, members of almost all expeditions to the archipelago used to sign on the walls. The house's boards keep signatures of Frederick Jackson, Anthony Fiala, and Russian and Soviet Arctic explorers.
"They have left signs, signatures, autographs, dates, some wrote messages - it was the archipelago's guestbook, its on-board magazine. And, interestingly, it is materialized in the form of a building," the historian added. "Right now, visitors are not allowed inside the house, and can't see the legendary autographs. That's because the floors are very dilapidated, and we can't allow such a load."
The Professor Molchanov departed from Arkhangelsk on July 9, and the expedition will continue to August 1. The project's sponsors and partners are Russia's Ministry of Science and Higher Education, VTB Bank (the general sponsor), the Russian Geographical Society, the Norilsk Nickel Company, and the Floating University Coordination Center based at MIPT.