30/08/2025
Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) was one of the greatest polar explorers of the early 20th century. In 1911, he led the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition that became the first to reach the geographic South Pole, beating British explorer Robert Falcon Scott by just over a month. Amundsen’s success came from meticulous planning, his use of dog sleds, and the survival knowledge he had learned from the Inuit during earlier Arctic journeys.
Beyond the South Pole, Amundsen contributed greatly to Arctic exploration. He was the first to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage by ship (1903–1906), proving that a sea route connected the Atlantic and Pacific through the Canadian Arctic. He also confirmed the position and movement of the magnetic North Pole, combining scientific observation with daring exploration. His reliance on indigenous techniques, such as wearing fur clothing and building igloos, distinguished him from other explorers who often struggled with harsher European methods.
Amundsen’s life ended as dramatically as his expeditions. In June 1928, he disappeared while flying on a rescue mission to aid the crew of the airship Italia, which had crashed in the Arctic. His seaplane vanished without a trace, and despite extensive searches, neither his body nor the wreck was ever found. His disappearance sealed his legend as an explorer who gave his life to the polar regions he had devoted himself to conquering.
