Hyperborea — The Land Beyond the North Wind

Hyperborea refers to an area in the distant north, from the Greek words hyper, meaning “beyond,” (as in hyperspace or hyperactive) and borea, referring to the northern wind (as in the aurora borealis). The land of the Hyperboreans was perfect, with the sun shining twenty-four hours a day and was a fabulous realm of eternal spring. The inhabitants of Hyperborea were giants with life spans of 1000 years and enjoyed lives of complete happiness without sickness or misery. The ancient Greeks were reputed to have dealings from time to time with the long-lived inhabitants of Hyperborea as recounted by their folklore and mythologies. We can also presume that the ancient Greeks were heavily influenced by the culture of the Hyperboreans (as well as that of Atlantis) and it is quite possible that much of their inspiration for their enlightened philosophy and architecture originated with the inhabitants of this fantastical realm as is evidenced by their literature and art.

This land 'beyond the North Wind' in its eternal state of spring and the giant stature and longevity of its inhabitants also matches precisely with the experiences of Olaf Jansen when he journeyed to the interior of the earth with his father in the mid-19th century.