Murmansk. Arctic Lights

Nuclear Icebreaker “Lenin”

the world’s first nuclear-powered surface vessel The icebreaker was built in just one year and launched in 1957 at the Marty Shipyard in Leningrad. Two years later, on September 12, 1959, it underwent its first trials at the Admiralty Shipyard. Over 30 years of service, the icebreaker escorted thousands of ships through Arctic ice and covered 654,400 nautical miles — more than three times the distance from Earth to the Moon, or 30 trips around the equator. In 1971, it became the first surface vessel to pass north of Severnaya Zemlya. In 1989, the icebreaker was decommissioned and permanently moored in Murmansk. Today, “Lenin” is a museum and the only federal cultural heritage site in Murmansk. The original furniture and interiors have been preserved on board: spacious corridors, a bathhouse, a recreation room, a photo laboratory, a film projection room, and a library. Visitors can take guided tours of the key rooms — from the crew dining room and medical unit to the captain’s bridge and captain’s lounge.

Address: near building No. 25, Portovy Proezd, Murmansk

Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 12:00 PM, 1:30 PM, and 3:00 PM

Website: rosatomflot.ru

Memorial to the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic during the Great Patriotic War (“Alyosha”)

“Murmansk Alyosha” is the affectionate name locals use for the monument to the defenders of the Arctic, unveiled in 1974. Sculptor Isaac Davidovich Brodsky and architect Igor Alexandrovich Pokrovsky created the image of a soldier in a military rain cape, with a rifle slung over his shoulder: he stands with his back to Murmansk, looking west — toward the direction from which the war came in 1941. The 35.5-meter figure on a seven-meter pedestal is one of the tallest monuments in Russia. Its viewing area offers a panoramic view of the city and Kola Bay. The memorial ensemble includes the Eternal Flame podium and a triangular pyramid symbolizing a lowered battle banner. Nearby stand two anti-aircraft guns — anti-aircraft batteries once located on this hill protected the city and port from air attacks — as well as a stele bearing the inscription: “To the Defenders of the Arctic — soldiers of the 14th Army, 19th Army, Red Banner Northern Fleet, 7th Air Army, border detachments No. 82 and No. 100, partisan detachments ‘Soviet Murman’, ‘Bolshevik of the Arctic’, ‘Polyarnik’, ‘Stalinets’, and ‘Bolshevik’. Glory to those who defended this land!” The memorial is currently closed for reconstruction. However, “Alyosha” can be seen from many locations in Murmansk.

Address: Zelyony Mys Hill, Murmansk

“The Waiting Woman” Monument

A monument dedicated to women waiting for sailors It is located not far from Kola Bay, on an elevated site overlooking the water. The bronze figure of a young woman on a tall pedestal waves her hand, as if greeting an approaching ship. Beside her is a seagull with outstretched wings, as though echoing the same welcoming gesture. The monument stands on a granite pedestal decorated with a bas-relief of sea waves. Golden letters on the stone convey a short but warm message: “To those who know how to wait.” A nearby observation deck offers a beautiful view of the bay — the very view toward which the bronze heroine gazes.

Address: near building No. 4/1, Chumbarova-Luchinskogo Street, Murmansk

Monument to the Resilience and Courage of Murmansk Residents during the Great Patriotic War (the Chimney Monument)

Murmansk is a Hero City that suffered severe damage during the Great Patriotic War. June 18, 1942, was especially devastating: during the bombing, almost half of the city’s buildings were destroyed. This tragic date became the basis for the regional Day of Resilience and Courage of Murmansk Residents. The memory of those events is embodied in the memorial complex on the southern shore of Semyonovskoye Lake, opened in June 2017. Its central element is the monument popularly known as the “Chimney Monument.” It is almost 4 meters high, and its form was inspired by photographs taken by wartime photographer Yevgeny Khaldei, showing stove chimneys that survived the bombing among the ruins of the city. The specially scorched surface of the chimney emphasizes its connection with wartime fires. Two viewing platforms have been arranged nearby — one in the central part of the site and another by the lakeshore.

Address: Naydenov Park, Geroyev-Severomortsev Avenue, Murmansk

Memorial Complex “To Sailors Who Died in Peacetime”

The memorial complex “To Sailors Who Died in Peacetime” is a scenic place in Murmansk with a panoramic view of Kola Bay. It is located on the slope between Chelyuskintsev Street and Geroyev-Severomortsev Avenue. From here, a mesmerizing view opens up: during the polar day, the city is bathed in sunlight, with the colorful cranes of the commercial port, ships in the bay, Lenin Avenue sparkling with lights, and the hills surrounding the city all visible. The complex was opened on October 5, 2002, for City Day. At the moment of its opening, at 17:30 Moscow time, all Murmansk vessels — both those anchored in Kola Bay and those far out in the ocean — greeted the event with a long blast of their horns. The center of the composition is a 17.5-meter-high hexagonal lighthouse tower. On its upper platform stands the Church of the Savior on the Waters, and nearby there is a ship’s anchor with a capsule of seawater beneath it. The first floor of the lighthouse houses a memorial museum hall: its walls display memorial plaques honoring sailors of different fleets who died at sea in peacetime, and books of remembrance are also kept there.

Address: near building No. 1, Kildinskaya Street, Murmansk

Foundation Cross

This place has historical value: it was here that a church of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of sailors, was planned to be built, and it was also here that the first stone of the city of Romanov-on-Murman, later renamed Murmansk, was laid.

Address: near building No. 3, Pushkinskaya Street, Murmansk

Cod Monument

In the center of Murmansk, on Five Corners Square, stands an unusual monument — a bronze cod. The sculpture, unveiled in October 2015 at the initiative of scientists from the Polar Research Institute, accurately reproduces the size of a real fish: 1.2 meters in length and 32 kilograms in weight — the average weight of a caught cod. This fish played an important role during the Great Patriotic War: it saved thousands of Murmansk residents, becoming the basis of the besieged city’s diet. Today, cod remains a key species for the fishing industry along Russia’s Arctic coast. There is a local belief among residents: if you whisper a wish to the cod, it will come true, and fishermen should stroke it to ensure a rich catch. And of course, a visit to Murmansk is hard to imagine without tasting dishes made from this fish.

Address: Central Public Garden, Five Corners Square, Murmansk

Monument to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

In 2018, a bronze monument to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, revered as the patron saint of sailors, was solemnly unveiled in Murmansk. The six-meter sculpture, which required more than six tons of bronze, is located on the pedestrian staircase next to building No. 20 on Vorovskogo Street. According to the authors’ concept, Saint Nicholas stands in a boat cutting through ocean waves: in one hand he holds Cape Horn, and in the other, a sailing vessel. The image was inspired by an icon by Fyodor Konyukhov.

Address: near building No. 20, Vorovskogo Street, Murmansk

“Sunrise” Mural

This work received nationwide recognition and was included among the top ten art objects in the country. The central image of the composition is the Leviathan. In the artist’s interpretation, the mythical creature becomes a metaphor for the primordial power of northern nature. Its contours flow into the silhouettes of hills and rocks, forming a unified artistic landscape into which elements of Murmansk’s urban space are delicately integrated. The rising sun, central to the concept of the work, takes on special meaning in the Arctic: it marks the end of the long polar night and the arrival of the bright summer season.

Address: building No. 13, Kominterna Street, Murmansk

The Longest Apartment Building in Russia

The 1,488-meter-long building consists of nine-story sections — 35 in total they are connected to one another in such a way that they form an almost enclosed shape resembling a polygon. The structure spans 26 different addresses. The architectural solution was carefully thought through: the gaps between the sections serve an important function — they provide natural protection from the strong northern winds typical of the local climate. In recent years, the appearance of the building has changed noticeably: its walls have become a site for large-scale artistic projects — murals. As a result, the complex has effectively turned into an open-air gallery of contemporary street art.

Address: 152 Beringa Street, Murmansk

“Piligrim” Brewery

The tour begins in the “Piligrim” pub, where the brewery is located. Here, the guide gives a detailed briefing, speaking about the traditions of local brewing and the key features of the production process. After the briefing, participants put on special coats and move into the brewery area. There, guests learn how the taste of beer is created from basic ingredients — barley, hops, water, and yeast. After 8 PM in winter, you can go hunting for the Northern Lights In summer, you can have a picnic under the midnight sun

Address: 36A Shevchenko Street, Murmansk

Website: beer.nordpilgrim.ru

“Northern Lights” Active Recreation Park

Here, you will meet huskies and reindeer. In winter, you can ride snowmobiles, and in summer, ATVs. You will visit a Sámi chum and take photos in traditional costumes

Address: structure 467, Severnoye Siyanie Street, Murmansk

Opening hours: Winter season: Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM–7:00 PM,
Friday–Sunday: 9:00 AM–8:00 PM,
Summer season: Monday–Thursday: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM,
Friday–Sunday: 9:00 AM–7:00 PM

Website: myaurora51.ru

Website: sevs51@mail.ru

Ice Floating in Kola Bay

Ice floating is a safe water activity in extreme conditions. With the help of a special suit that protects you from cold and moisture, your body will float effortlessly on the water. You can relax and peacefully enjoy nature or have fun splashing in the water. You do not need to know how to swim. The main feature of this activity is that it takes place in the harsh icy waters of Kola Bay.

Sea Urchin Processing Workshop

We invite you to visit an operating sea urchin processing facility, where you will have the opportunity to prepare sea urchin roe yourself. You can taste it on site or take it with you in professional packaging… End your journey with a visit to souvenir shops. Buy a keepsake made by local artisans — jewelry with a northern stone, a reindeer figurine, or a knitted accessory. Let your souvenir from Murmansk become a talisman preserving the memory of the majestic Arctic.

Address: 25A Sverdlova Street, Murmansk

Website: ikraezha.com

Website: dimovavv@gmail.com