The Violet Window

In the Russian far east there is an entire area of new founded towns which owes its existence to the discovery of diamonds deposits and which future depends critically on the decisions of one of the world's biggest enterprises in the diamond trade.

The republic of Sakha, in Siberia, has an area five times the size of France but with a population less than one million produces around the 28 percent of all world's rough diamonds.

In the second half of last century, when this diamonds deposits were discovered close to the Arctic Circle, people started to live in this remote area founding new "secret" towns, which got code names due diamonds was a strategic sector during the Cold War. This area is above permafrost (permanently frozen ground under the soil), and, with long periods of winter, temperatures can reach around to -50°c.

Actually this towns (Mirnyj, Aykhal, Udachny, Nakyn...) are a good example of what Russians call “Monogorods” (cities dominated by a single company), more than 50% population works directly or indirectly for Alrosa company, which also have an airline, hotels, real estate company, sports centers, theaters or culture palaces.

The unpredictable future of this area (Alrosa has diamond reserves for around 25 more years), the extreme cold, loneliness and isolation are the main pillars in which inhabitants of this area build their lives.