Exploration
When did Amundsen reach the South Pole?
1911 AD
Roald Amundsen’s party reached the geographic South Pole on 14 December 1911 AD.
1 BC · 1 AD
Context
What happened?
Amundsen sailed south in the Fram and wintered at Framheim on the Ross Ice Shelf. Five men left for the pole on 19 October 1911 with dog teams and skis, a choice of transport that carried them there and back without the exhaustion that wore down the rival British party.
Significance
Why it matters
The Norwegian achievement closed the last great unclaimed geographical prize on Earth and settled a race that had gripped the public for years. Scott’s team reached the pole about five weeks later and died on the return march, and the contrast between the two expeditions shaped polar travel for decades.
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