From the harbor, the downtown is 268 steps up a weathered and rickety wooden staircase and at the end of the climb, visitors catch their breath in a scene of post-Soviet decay. Some of the rundown cement buildings, on streets paved with slabs of concrete, are decorated with carved wood in a bid to counter their dreariness. Soviet symbols abound A bust of Lenin overlooks the town square. A sports hall, built just before the Moscow Olympics, bears the Olympic rings. Some buildings still have their Soviet red stars, or murals depicting the ''heroic'' workers of the now-defunct Soviet Union.
Locals says they keep the Soviet relics as a reminder of the past.
It's the same atmosphere, but there are tourists now. Barentsburg was off-limits during the Cold War, but now welcomes tourists, as long as they remember their place. He just wants to make sure I remember who is important here,'' she explains. Apart from seeing Russia, there isn't much to do in Barentsburg. Guided tours often include a hearty lunch at the miner's cafe and a trip to the local museum.