Scientists have unravelled the mystery behind a site which was thought to be a wartime myth.

Researchers have discovered a secret Nazi base code-named 'Treasure Hunter' on Alexandra Land in the Arctic Circle. It was built on direct orders from German dictator Adolf Hitler and is located 1,000 kilometres from the North Pole.

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The island is now a part of the Russian territory and was supposedly constructed in 1942, a year after Hitler invaded Russia.

However, it was abandoned in July 1944 because the crew were poisoned after being forced to eat raw polar bear meat. They were running low on supplies and the meat was infected with roundworms but after consumption, the crew became seriously ill and had to be rescued by a German U-boat.

After 72 years, researchers have come across over 500 relics, including the ruins of bunkers, discarded petrol canisters and even paper documents. Thanks to the island's freezing climate everything was preserved. They even found bullets, scraps of tents and personal items such as shoes.

Some of the items apparently were dated and were marked with the swastika.

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"Before it was only known from written sources, but now we also have real proof," said Evgeny Ermolov, a senior researcher at the Russian Arctic National Park as reported by PTI.

Nearly 500 items of historical value have been collected from the secret military base which was in operation from September 1943 until July 1944.