Murmansk Travel Guide

Murmansk (Мурманск) is situated in north-western Russia on the Kola Gulf of the Barents Sea (see map). With a population of close to one half million inhabitants, it is the largest city within the Artic Circle. Thanks to warm waters which flow from the Gulf Stream, Murmansk is an ice free port throughout the year.

Not surprisingly, the city's livelihood has always been connected with the sea. Since its foundation in 1916, it has served as a commercial and naval port, a base for Russia's fishing industry, a shipyard, plus an important center for science including oceanographic and polar institutions.

Although it is a relatively young city, Murmansk has played a significant role in events of the 20th century. It was a strategic port during the Russian civil war, being occupied by Allied forces in defiance of the Bolsheviks from 1918-1920. It was also awarded the title of Hero City in 1985 for its resistance to axis forces during World War II. A major supply base and port for Anglo-American convoys, it was heavily bombarded by the Germans who wanted to stop the flow of armaments to Russian forces on the eastern front.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the loss of state funding, Murmansk's economy suffered as a significant portion of its commercial and naval shipping disappeared. One refuge to a declining economy has been the birth of international tourism. Tourists now come to see great ships, cruise on the pristine northern coastline and experience the wonder of the northern lights.