Historic Sites and Monuments in Antarctica

Purpose

The purpose of each HSM is to preserve and protect from damage and destruction individual historic sites and monuments within the Antarctic Treaty Area.

Each HSM must be appropriately marked with notices in English, French, Spanish, and Russian indicating that it is scheduled for preservation in accordance with the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty.

Descriptions of Historic Sites and Monuments in Antarctica
1 Flag mast at South Pole
90°S. Flag mast erected in December 1965 at the geographic South Pole by the first Argentine Overland Polar Expedition.
2 Rock cairn and plaques on Ongul Island, Prins Harald Kyst
69°00'S, 39°35'E. Rock cairn and plaques at Syowa Station (Japan) in memory of Shin Fukushima, a member of the 4th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, who died in October 1960. Some of his ashes repose in the cairn.
3 Rock cairn and plaque on Proclamation Island, Enderby Land
65°51'S, 53°41'E. Rock cairn and plaque erected in January 1930 by Sir Douglas Mawson to commemorate the landing by a party of the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition, 1929-31.
4 Bust and plaque at 'Pole of Inaccessibility'
83°06'S, 54°58'E. Station building to which a bust of Vladimir I. Lenin is fixed, together with a plaque in memory of the conquest of the Pole of Inaccessibility by Soviet Antarctic explorers in 1958.
5 Rock cairn and plaque at Cape Bruce, Mac. Robertson Land
67°25'S, 60°47'E. Rock cairn and plaque erected in February 1931 by Sir Douglas Mawson to commemorate the landing by a party of the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition, 1929-31.
6 Rock cairn and canister at Walkabout Rocks, Vestfold Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land
68°22'S, 78°32'E. Rock cairn erected in 1939 by Sir Hubert Wilkins. The cairn houses a canister containing a record of his visit.
7 Stone and plaque at Mabus Point, Queen Mary Land
66°33'S, 93°01'E. Stone with inscribed plaque erected at Mirny Observatory (Russia) in memory of driver-mechanic Ivan Khmara who perished on fast ice, 21 January 1956.
8 Monument sledge and plaque at Mabus Point, Queen Mary Land
66°33'S, 93°01'E. Metal monument sledge with plaque at Mirny Observatory (Russia) in memory of driver-mechanic Anatoly Shcheglov who perished in the performance of official duties, 25 February, 1962.
9 Cemetery on Buromskiy Island, Queen Mary Land
66°32'S, 93°00'E. Cemetery in which are buried Soviet, Czechoslovak and German citizens, members of Soviet Antarctic Expeditions, who perished in the performance of official duties on 3 August, 1960.
10 Observatory at Bunger Hills, Queen Mary Land
66°16'S, 100°45'E. Magnetic observatory at Dobrowolski Station (Poland) with plaque in memory of the opening of Oazis Station in 1956.
11 Tractor and plaque at Vostok Station
78°28'S, 106°49'E. Heavy tractor with plaque at Vostock Station (Russia) in memory of the opening of the station in 1957.
12 Cross and plaque at Cape Denison, George V Land
67°00'S, 142°39E. Cross and plaque erected in 1913 by Sir Douglas Mawson on a hill 300 m south-west of the main hut of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-14. The cross and plaque commemorate Lieutenant Belgrave E.S. Ninnis and Dr Xavier Mertz, who died in 1913 while engaged in the work of the expedition.
13 Hut at Cape Denison, George V Land
67°00'S, 142°42'E. Hut built in 1912 by Sir Douglas Mawson's Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-14. This was the main base of the expedition.
14 Ice cave at Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay, Scott Coast
74°54'S, 163°43'E. Site of ice cave constructed in March 1912 by Victor Campbell's Northern Party of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-13. The party spent the winter of 1912 in this ice cave.
15 Hut at Cape Royds, Ross Island
77°33'S, 166°10'E. Hut built in February 1908 by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-09, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton.
16 Hut at Cape Evans, Ross Island redesignated as SPA No. 25
17 Cross at Cape Evans, Ross Island redesignated as SPA No. 25
18 Hut at Hut Point, Ross Island
77°50S, 166°37'E. Hut built in February 1902 by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1901-04, led by Captain Robert F. Scott.
19 Cross at Hut Point, Ross Island
77°50'S, 166°37'E. Cross erected in February 1904 by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1901-04, in memory of George Vince, a member of the expedition, who died in the vicinity.
20 Cross on Observation Hill, Ross Island
77°51'S, 166°41'E. Cross erected in January 1913 by the British Antarctic Expedition of 1910-13 in memory of Captain Robert F. Scott's party which perished on the return journey from the South Pole in March 1912.
21 Hut at Cape Crozier, Ross Island
77°31'S, 169°22'E. Remains of stone hut constructed in July 1911 by Dr Edward Wilson's party of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-13, during the winter journey to collect emperor penguin eggs.
22 Hut at Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast
71°18'S, 170°12'E. Hut built in February 1899 during the Southern Cross Expedition, 1898-1900 led by Carsten E. Borchgrevink. There are three huts. Two date from Borchgrevink's expedition and one from Scott's Northern Party, 1910-11.
23 Grave at Cape Adare, Borchgrevink Coast
71°17'S, 170°13'E. Grave of Norwegian biologist Nicolai Hanson, a member of Carsten E. Borchgrevink's Southern Cross Expedition, 1898-1900. This is the first known grave in the Antarctic.
24 Rock cairn at Mount Betty, Queen Maud Range
85°11'S, 163°47'W. Rock cairn, known as 'Amundsen's cairn', on Mount Betty, erected by Roald Amundsen on 6 January 1912 on his way back to 'Framheim' from the South Pole.
25 Hut and plaque at Framnësodden, Peter I Øy
68°50'S, 90°43'W. Hut and plaque built by Norwegian Captain Nils Larsen in February 1929. The plaque is inscribed 'Norvegia-ekspedisjonen 2/2 1929'.
26 Installations at Barry Island, Debenham Islands, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula
68°07'S, 67°06'W. Abandoned installations of San Martin Station (Argentina), with cross, flag mast, and monolith built in 1951.
27 Cairn with plaque at Megalestris Hill, Petermann Island, Antarctic Peninsula
65°10'S, 64°09'W. Cairn with plaque erected in 1909 by the second French expedition led by Jean-Baptiste E. A. Charcot.
28 Cairn, pillar and plaque at Port Charcot, Booth Island, Antarctic Peninsula
65°03'S, 64°02'W. Rock cairn with wooden pillar and plaque inscribed with the names of the first French expedition led by Jean-Baptiste E. A. Charcot which wintered here in 1904 aboard Le Français.
29 Lighthouse on Lambda Island, Melchior Islands, Antarctic Peninsula
64°18'S, 62°58'W. Lighthouse named Primero de Mayo erected by Argentina in 1942. This was the first Argentine lighthouse in the Antarctic.
30 Shelter at Paradise Harbour, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula
64°49'S, 62°51'W. Shelter erected in 1950 near the Gabriel Gonzales Videla Base (Chile) to honour Gabriel Gonzales Videla, the first Head of State to visit the Antarctic.
31 Plaque at Whalers Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands
62°58'S, 60°34'W. Memorial plaque marking the position of a cemetery where some 40 Norwegian whalers were buried in the first half of the twentieth century. The cemetery was swept away by a volcanic eruption in February 1969.
32 Monolith on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands
62°28'S, 59°40'W. Concrete monolith erected in 1947 near Capitan Arturo Prat Base (Chile). Point of reference for Chilean Antarctic hydrographic surveys.
33 Shelter, cross and plaque on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands
62°29'S, 59°40'W. Shelter and cross with plaque near Capitan Arturo Prat Base (Chile). Named in memory of Lieutenant-Commander Gonzales Pacheco, who died in 1960 while in charge of the station.
34 Bust on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands
62°30'S, 59°41'W. Bust at Capitan Arturo Prat Base (Chile) of the Chilean naval hero Arturo Prat, erected in 1947.
35 Cross and statue on Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands
62°29'S, 59°40'W. Wooden cross and statue of the Virgin of Carmen erected in 1947 near Capitan Arturo Prat Base (Chile).
36 Plaque at Potter Cove, King George Island, South Shetland Islands
62°14'S, 58°39'W. Metal plaque erected by Eduard Dallmann to commemorate the visit of his German expedition on 1 March 1874 on board Grönland, the first steamship to reach Antarctica.
37 Statue at Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula
63°19'S, 57°54'W. Statue at General Bernard O'Higgins Base (Chile) of Bernard O'Higgins, the first ruler of Chile to foresee the importance of Antarctica.
38 Hut on Snow Hill Island, Antarctic Peninsula
64°22'S, 56°59'W. Hut built in February 1902 by the main party of the Swedish South Polar Expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld.
39 Hut at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula
63°24'S, 56°59'W. Stone hut built in January 1903 by a party of the Swedish South Polar Expedition.
40 Bust, grotto, statue, flag mast, graveyard and stele at Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula
63°24'S, 56°59'W. Bust of General San Martin, grotto with a statue of the Virgin of Lujan, and a flag mast at Esperanza Base (Argentina). Erected by Argentina in 1955; together with a graveyard with stele in memory of members of Argentine expeditions who died in the area.
41 Hut and grave on Paulet Island, Antarctic Peninsula
63°34'S, 55°45'W. Stone hut built in February 1903 by survivors of the wrecked vessel Antarctic under Captain Carl A. Larsen, members of the Swedish South Polar Expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld, together with a grave of a member of the expedition and the rock cairn built by the survivors of the wreck at the highest point of the island to draw the attention of rescue expeditions.
42 Huts, magnetic observatory and graveyard at Scotia Bay, Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands
60°44'S, 44°41'W. Stone hut built in 1903 by the Scottish Antarctic Expedition led by William S. Bruce; the Argentine meteorological hut and magnetic observatory, built in 1905; and a graveyard with seven graves, the earliest of which dates from 1903 and is of Alan Ramsey, engineer with the Scottish Antarctic Expedition.
43 Cross at 'Piedrabuena Bay', Filchner Ice Front, Weddell Sea
77°58'S, 38°48'W. Cross erected in 1955, 1300 m north-east of General Belgrano I Station (Argentina) (station subsequently destroyed during break-up of ice shelf).
44 Plaque at Nivlisen ice front, Prinsesse Astrid Kyst, Dronning Maud Land
70°43'S, 11°40'E. Plaque erected at the temporary Dakshin Gangotri Station (India) listing the names of the members of the First Indian Antarctic Expedition which landed nearby on 9 January 1982.
45 Plaque at Metchnikoff Point, Brabant Island, Antarctic Peninsula
64°02'S, 62°34'W. Plaque mounted at a height of 70 m on the crest of the moraine separating Metchnikoff Point from the glacier. Erected by members of the Joint Services Expedition, 1983-85, to commemorate the first landing on Brabant Island by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897-99, led by Adrien V. de Gerlache de Gomery. The earliest known photographs of Antarctica were taken during this expedition.
46 Buildings and installations at Port-Martin, Terre Adélie
66°49'S, 141°23'E. All buildings and installations of Port-Martin Base constructed in 1950 by the 3rd French expedition and partly destroyed by fire during the night of 23-24 January 1952.
47 Building on Île des Pétrels, Terre Adélie
66°41'S, 140°01'E. Wooden building called 'Base Marret' where seven men under the command of Mario Marret wintered in 1952 following a fire at Port Martin Base.
48 Cross on Île des Pétrels, Terre Adélie
66°41'S, 140°01'E. Cross erected on the north-east headland of the island in memory of André Prudhomme, chief meteorologist of the 3rd French International Geophysical Year expedition, who disappeared during a storm on 7 January 1959.
49 Pillar at Bunger Hill, Queen Mary Land
66°16'S, 100°45'E. Concrete pillar erected by the First Polish Antarctic Expedition at Dobrowolski Station (Poland) in January 1959 for gravity measurements.
50 Plaque at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands
62°12'S, 59°01'W. Plaque mounted on a sea cliff south-west of the Chilean and Soviet stations to commemorate the research vessel Professor Siedlecki, the trawler Tazar and their crews, members of the first Polish Antarctic maritime research expedition, which landed here in February 1976.
51 Grave and cross at Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetland Islands
62°10'S, 58°28'W. Grave of Wlodzimierz Puchalski, surmounted by an iron cross, on a hill south of Arctowski Station (Poland). Puchalski was an artist and producer of documentary nature films who died on 19 January 1979 whilst working at the station.
52 Monolith at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands
62°13'S, 58°58'W. Monolith erected to commemorate the establishment on 20 February 1985 of Great Wall Station (China) by the First Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition.
53 Monolith and plaques on Elephant Island, South Shetland Islands
61°06'S, 54°50'W. Monolith and plaques commemorating the rescue of survivors of the British ship Endurance by the Chilean navy cutter Yelcho on 30 August 1916. Replicas are sited at the Chilean bases Capitan Arturo Prat (62°30'S, 59°49'W) and Presidente Eduardo Frei (62°12'S, 62°12'W).
54 Bust on Ross Island
77°51'S, 166°40'E. Bronze bust on black marble at McMurdo Station (USA) commemorating the polar achievements of Richard E. Byrd, erected in 1965.
55 Buildings and artefacts on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula
68°11'S, 67°00'W. Buildings and artefacts at and near East Base of the US Antarctic Service Expedition, 1940-41, and the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947-48.
56 Remains of hut and environs at Waterboat Point, Danco Coast, Antarctic Peninsula
64°49'S, 62°51'W. The remains and immediate environs of the Waterboat Point hut, situated close to the unoccupied Chilean station Gabriel Gonzales Videla. Only the base of the boat, foundations of doorposts and an outline of the hut and extension still exist. It was occupied by the UK two-man expedition of Thomas W. Bagshawe and Maxime C. Lester in 1921-22.
57 Plaque at "Yankee Bay"(Yankee Harbour), MacFarlane Strait, Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands
Near a Chilean refuge at 62°32'S, 59°45'W. Erected to the memory of Captain Robert MacFarlane, who in 1820 explored the Antarctic Peninsula area in the brigantine Drágon.
58 Cairn with plaque at Whalers Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands
62°59'S, 60°33'W. In the vicinity of the whaler's cemetery (HSM No.31). Erected to honour Captain Adolfus Amandus Andresen, Antarctic pioneer, who was the first to establish a whaling operation on Deception Island in 1906.
59 Cairn on Half Moon Beach, Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands
62°28'S, 60°46'W. Commemorating the Spanish officers, soldiers and seamen on board the San Telmo which sank in September 1819; possibly the first people to die in Antarctica.
60 Plaque and cairn at 'Penguins Bay', Seymour Island, James Ross Island archipelago
64°16'S, 50°39'W. Commemorating the location at which the Argentine Corvette Uruguay gave assistance to the Swedish Antarctic Expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld on 10 November 1903.
61 'Base A' at Port Lockroy, Goudier Island, off Wiencke Island, Antarctic Peninsula
64°49'S, 63°29'W. Of historic importance as an Operation Tabarin base from 1944 and for scientific research.
62 'Base F (Wordie House)' on Winter Island, Argentine Islands
65°15'S, 64°16'W. On the south-west corner of Winter Island. Of historic importance as an example of an early British scientific base.
63 'Base Y' on Horseshoe Island, Marguerite Bay, western Graham Land
67°48'S, 67°18'W. Noteworthy as a relatively unaltered and completely equipped British scientific base of the late 1950s. 'Blaiklock', the refuge hut nearby, is considered an integral part of the base.
64 'Base E' on Stonington Island, Marguerite Bay, western Graham Land
68°11'S, 67°00'W. Of historical importance in the early period of exploration and later British Antarctic Survey history of the 1960s and 1970s.
65 Message post on Foyn Island, Possession Islands
71°56'S, 171°05'E. A pole with a box attached was placed on the island on 16 January 1895 during the whaling expedition of Henryk Bull and Captain Leonard Kristensen of the ship Antarctic.
66 Cairn at Scott Nunataks, Alexandra Mountains
77°11'S, 154°32'W. At the foot of the main bluff on the north side of the nunataks. Erected by Lieut. Kristian Prestrud on 3 December 1911 during the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition of 1910-12.
67 Rock shelter 'Granite House' at Cape Geology, Granite Harbour
77°00'S, 162°32'E. Constructed as a field kitchen by Taylor's second geological excursion during the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-13. It was enclosed on three sides by granite boulder walls and used a sledge to support the roof.
68 Depot at Hells Gate Moraine, Inexpressible Island, Terra Nova Bay
74°52'S, 163°50'E. Site of an emergency depot consisting of a sledge loaded with supplies and equipment which was placed on 25 January 1913 by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913. The sledge and supplies were removed in 1994 in order to stabilize their deteriorating condition.
69 Message post at Cape Crozier, Ross Island
77°27'S, 169°16'E. Erected on 22 January 1902 by Captain Robert F. Scott's Discovery Expedition of 1901-04. It was to provide information for the expedition's relief ships, and held a metal message cylinder which has since been removed.
70 Message post at Cape Wadworth, Coulman Island
73°19'S, 169°47'E. A metal cylinder nailed to a red pole 8 m above sea level placed by Captain Robert F. Scott on 15 January, 1902. He painted the rocks behind the post red and white to make it more conspicuous.
71 Whaling station at Whalers Bay, Deception Island
62°59'S, 60°33'W. Ruins of the Norwegian Whaling station established in 1912.
72 Cairn on Tryne Islands, Vestfold Hills
68°22'S 78°24'E. A rock cairn and a wooden mast erected by the landing party of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition, 1934-1935, led by Captain Klarius Mikkelsen of the Norwegian whaling ship Thorshavn and including Caroline Mikkelsen, the first woman to set foot on East Antarctica.
73 Memorial Cross, Lewis Bay, Ross Island
77°25'30S, 166°27'30E. A stainless steel cross erected in January 1987 on a rocky promontory 3 km from the Mount Erebus crash site in memory of the 257 people of different nationalities who lost their lives when the aircraft in which they were travelling crashed into the lower slopes of Mount Erebus, Ross Island (see SPA No. 26). The cross was erected as a mark of respect and in remembrance of those who died in the tragedy.