My Russia #13 - Polar Night in Murmansk

Polar night in Murmansk.

Sent by Elena from Surgut in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia.

Every year, from December 2nd to January 11th, polar night sets in at Murmansk's latitude for 40 days. On the first day after the polar night, the sun rises over the city for only 19 minutes.

In winter, you can observe the Northern Lights—a stunningly beautiful natural phenomenon. That's why the Northern Lights are depicted on the city's coat of arms.

In summer, Murmansk experiences the polar day, which lasts 62 calendar days. For two months starting on May 20th, the sun doesn't set, and starting on July 24th, the sun barely touches the horizon for about a week before rising again. Throughout this period—until mid-August—nights in Murmansk are bright every year. This is why Murmansk is known as the city of white nights (read more).

Russia - Murmansk Oblast - Pechenga Monastery / Petsamo Monastery

Petsamo Monastery in Murmansk Oblast, Russia.

Sent by Jussi from Helsinki, Finland.

The Pechenga Monastery (Russian: Печенгский монастырь; Finnish: Petsamon luostari; Norwegian: Petsjengaklosteret) is and has been for many centuries the northernmost monastery in the world. It was founded in 1533 at the influx of the Pechenga River into the Barents Sea, 135 km west of modern Murmansk, by St. Tryphon, a monk from Novgorod.

Inspired by the model of the Solovki, Tryphon wished to convert the local Skolts to Christianity and to demonstrate how faith could flourish in the most inhospitable lands. His example was eagerly followed by other Russian monks. By 1572, the Pechenga Monastery counted about 50 brethren and 200 lay followers.

Six years after St. Tryphon's death in 1583, the wooden monastery was raided and burnt down by the Swedes on December 25, 1589. It is said that the raid claimed the lives of 51 monks and 65 lay brothers, bringing the history of Tryphon's establishment to an end. This revenge raid, and was part of the Russo-Swedish War of 1590–1595, is said to have been carried out by a Finnish peasant chief Pekka Antinpoika Vesainen, but the claim is contested (read more).

Russia - Murmansk Oblast - Murmansk

Aurora Borealis in Murmansk.

Sent by Mashe from Murmansk, Russia.

Murmansk (Russian: Му́рманск; Kildin Sami: Мурман ланнҍ; Northern Sami: Murmánska; Skolt Sami:Muurman) is a port city and the administrative centre of Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, an inlet of the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland. Regardless of how north it is, Murmansk tends to be nearly the same as any other Russian city of its size, featuring highway and railway access to the rest of Europe, a railway station, and a trolleybus system, in fact, the northernmost on Earth. Population: 307,257 (2010 Census); 336,137 (2002 Census); 468,039 (1989 Census). Despite its rapidly declining population, Murmansk remains the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. (read further)

Russia - Murmansk Oblast - Murmansk Sea Terminal

Murmansk Sea Terminal
Bark "Sedov"

Sent by Anastasia, a postcrosser from Murmansk, Russia.

Murmansk (Russian: Му́рманск; Kildin Sami: Мурман ланнҍ; Northern Sami: Murmánska; Skolt Sami: Muurman) is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, an inlet of the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland. Population: 307,257 (2010 Census); 336,137 (2002 Census); 468,039 (1989 Census). Despite its rapidly declining population, Murmansk remains the largest city north of the Arctic Circle. (read further)