Murmansk () is a port city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast in the far northwest part of Russia. It is the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle and sits on both slopes and banks of Kola Bay, with its bulk on the east bank of the inlet. The bay, a modest fjord, is an estuarine inlet of the Barents Sea. The city is a major port of the Arctic Ocean and is about from the border with Norway, from the border with Finland, and from Moscow.

Being a non-freezing port due to the warm North Atlantic Current, Murmansk resembles cities of its size across western Russia, with highway and railway access to the rest of Europe, and the northernmost trolleybus system on Earth. Its connectivity contrasts with the isolation of Arctic ports like the Siberian Dikson on the shores of the Kara Sea, and Iqaluit in the Canadian Arctic. Despite long, snowy winters, Murmansk's climate is moderated by the generally ice-free waters around it.

Murmansk grew substantially throughout the twentieth century, particularly after World War II during the Cold War arms race. Murmansk's population has been in decline since the end of the Cold War, from to 270,384 (2021 Census).

Etymology

The name of the city is derived from Murman, from an old name for Norwegians by Russians; it is likely a borrowing from Old Norse norðmaðr (possibly related to Old English Norþmann and English Northman), which gave its name to the Murman Coast and the surrounding region including the Kola Peninsula.

History

thumb|left|Aerial view of Murmansk, 1936

thumb|War destruction in Murmansk (1942)

thumb|Central part of Murmansk

Murmansk was the last city founded in the Russian Empire.

In 1915, World War I needs led to the construction of the northern part of the Kirov Railway: a railroad from Petrozavodsk to an ice-free location on the Murman Coast in the Russian Arctic, to which Russia's allies shipped military supplies.

The terminus became known as the Murman station and soon boasted a port, a naval base, and an adjacent settlement with a population that quickly grew in size and soon surpassed the nearby towns of Alexandrovsk and Kola.

On , 1916, Russian Transport Minister Alexander Trepov petitioned to grant urban status to the railway settlement.

thumb|right|[[HMS Glory (1899)|HMS Glory, flagship of the British North Russia Squadron in Murmansk in the First World War]]

In the winter of 1917 the British North Russia Squadron under Rear Admiral Thomas Kemp was based at Murmansk.

From 1918 to 1920, during the Russian Civil War, the town was occupied by the Western powers, who had been allied in World War I, and was also controlled by White Army forces.

On 13 February 1926, local self-government was organized in Murmansk for the first time, during a plenary session of the Murmansk City Soviet, which elected a Presidium. However, the provisions of the resolution were not fully implemented, and due to military construction in Polyarnoye, the administrative center was instead moved to Murmansk in the beginning of 1935.

Wehrmacht and Finnish forces in Finnish territory launched an offensive against Murmansk as part of Operation Silver Fox (29 June to 17 November 1941). Fierce Soviet resistance and harsh local weather, with the bad terrain, prevented them from capturing it. The Luftwaffe bombed Murmansk 792 times during World War II.

It suffered extensive destruction, the magnitude of which was rivaled only by the destruction in Leningrad and Stalingrad.

On 6 May 1985, the city's resistance was commemorated at the 40th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the formal designation of Murmansk as a Hero City.

During the Cold War Murmansk was a center of Soviet submarine and icebreaker activity.

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union (December 1991), the nearby city and naval base of Severomorsk remain the headquarters of the Russian Northern Fleet.

thumb|Russia's [[Young Army Cadets National Movement|Young Army in Murmansk, 2018]]

In 1974, a tall statue Alyosha, depicting a Soviet World War II soldier, was installed on a high foundation. The Hotel Arctic opened in 1984, becoming the tallest building above the Arctic Circle.

On 1 January 2015, the territory of Murmansk was expanded when the urban-type settlement of Roslyakovo, previously under the jurisdiction of the closed administrative-territorial formation of Severomorsk, was abolished and its territory merged into Murmansk.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is incorporated as the City of Murmansk—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, the City of Murmansk is incorporated as Murmansk Urban Okrug.

City divisions

thumb|Lenin Avenue|alt=|right

, the city is divided into three administrative okrugs:

  • Leninsky (Ленинский (Lenin))
  • Oktyabrsky (Октябрьский (October))
  • Pervomaysky (Первомайский (First May))

City districts were established in Murmansk for the first time by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR of 20 April 1939; at the time, three city districts (Kirovsky, Leninsky, and Mikoyanovsky) were created.

Murmansk has been affected by global warming in recent decades, similar to other Arctic locations. For example, December 2007 had an average high of , while a average high was measured for March 2007.

Summer has also been affected, with a average high for June 2013, and a average high during July 2018.

{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable"

|-

!Colspan=14|Sea temperature data for Murmansk

|-

!Month

!Jan

!Feb

!Mar

!Apr

!May

!Jun

!Jul

!Aug

!Sep

!Oct

!Nov

!Dec

!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year

|-

!Average sea temperature °C (°F)

| style=""|3.4<br />(38.12)

| style=""|2.5<br />(36.5)

| style=""|1.9<br />(35.42)

| style=""|2.2<br />(35.96)

| style=""|3.9<br />(35.96)

| style=""|7.1<br />(44.78)

| style=""|10.5<br />(50.9)

| style=""|10.9<br />(51.62)

| style=""|9<br />(48.2)

| style=""|7<br />(44.6)

| style=""|5.3<br />(41.54)

| style=""|4.6<br />(40.28)

| style=""|5.69<br />(42.245)

|-

! colspan="14" style="background:#fff; font-weight:normal; font-size:100%;"|Source:

|}

Demographics

thumb|Children in Murmansk

The population of the city, according to the 2010 Census, was 307,257 persons, of these, 141,130 were men (45.9%) and 166,127 were women (54.1%). Murmansk's population is down significantly from the 468,039 persons recorded in the 1989 Census. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the city has been consistently losing population, as the extensive military facilities the city is built around have decreased. Ethnic Russians make up the majority of the population, but Ukrainian and Belarusian minorities also live in the city.

Ethnic composition (2010):

  • Russians – 89.6%
  • Ukrainians – 4.6%
  • Belarusians – 1.6%
  • Tatars – 0.8%
  • Azerbaijanis – 0.7%
  • Others – 2.6%

Politics

In November 2010, direct mayoral elections were abolished; they were reinstituted in January 2014, but with the introduction of the New Law of Self-Governance (Russian: новому закону о местном самоуправлении) introduced under Governor Andrey Chibis means that mayors are once again chosen indirectly, through a Council of Deputies. The current mayor, as of November 2025, is Ivan Lebedev, who assumed the position after being selected from a group of two candidates by the Council following the resignation of the previous mayor Yuri Serdechkin in July 2025. He was acting head of the city between July 2025 and his election.

Museums and monuments

Murmansk has two main museums: Murmansk Oblast Museum and Murmansk Oblast Art Museum; there are also several small museums. There are three professional theaters, libraries, and an aquarium in Murmansk.

Murmansk is the venue of the decommissioned Lenin which is now a museum ship. The massive

Alyosha Monument (official name being Defenders of the Soviet Arctic during the Great Patriotic War) overlooks the city of Murmansk.

<gallery mode="packed">

Атомный ледокол "Ленин".jpg|Lenin, converted into a museum ship

House_with_no_light.jpg|Monument of sailors in Murmansk

Aleshamurm.jpg|Alyosha, the second tallest statue in Russia

Вечный огонь у Алеши.JPG|Eternal flame at the Alyosha monyment

File:Памятник жертвам интервенции 1918-1920 годов в Мурманске.jpg|Monument to the victims of the intervention of 1918–1920, Murmansk

</gallery>

Culture

There are three professional theaters in Murmansk. The oldest is the Murmansk Puppetry, which opened in 1933. The largest in the city was the Murmansk Regional Drama Theater, which opened in 1939. The Drama Theater of the Northern Fleet was opened in 1946.

<gallery mode="packed">

Театр Северного флота.JPG|Drama Theater of the Northern Fleet

Oblastnoi_dramteatr_murmansk.jpg|Murmansk Regional Drama Theater

Театр кукол летом.png|Murmansk Puppetry

</gallery>

The unofficial anthem of Murmansk is "My Beloved Arctic". As of 2012, it's played at the train station to signal the arrival of trains, and as of 2007 it's played at Murmansk's main square on the hour.

Sports

The city's association football teams are FC Sever Murmansk, which played in the Russian Second Division until 2014 when it folded due to financial difficulties, and FC Murmansk, a football team founded in 2022.

<gallery mode="packed">

Стадион_«Строитель»,_Мурманск.jpg|Stadium Stroitel

Хоккей на стадионе «Строитель».jpg|Bandy at Stroitel stadium

Центральный стадион в Мурманске..JPG|Trade Unions Central Stadium venue of FC Sever Murmansk

Плавательный бассейн.JPG|Murmansk Municipal Swimming Pool

Перед стартом марафона на Празднике Севера 31 марта 2013 года.JPG|Polar Olympiada in 2013

</gallery>

Bandy club Murman has played in the Russian Bandy Super League, last in 2011–2012. Between 2012 and 2018, they were playing in the second tier Russian Bandy Supreme League, but will from the 2018–19 season be a Super League team again. Their home arena, Stadium Stroitel, has an audience capacity of 5,000.

The city is one of only three places with representation in the female league, through the team Arktika. Proximity to pole and its side effects, Polar Night, has brought sport festivals such as and . The former has been awarded every year since the inaugural tournament in 1934. Norway, Finland, Sweden, Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic countries take part in the North Festival Polar Olympiad.

Religion

To commemorate the 85th anniversary of the city's foundation, the snow-white Church of the Saviour on the Waters was modeled after the White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal and built on the shore for the sailors of Murmansk.

Fifteen religious associations have been registered in Murmansk. The largest is the Russian Orthodox Church. Murmansk is the center of its Murmansk and Monchegorsk diocese, as well as the Murmansk Metropolis. The city has about a dozen Orthodox churches. The department of the head of the diocese and the metropolis of Metropolitan Simon is located in St. Nicholas Cathedral.

<gallery mode="packed">

Church of the Saviour-on-Water Murmansk 4.JPG|Church of the Saviour on the Waters, Murmansk

Храм Архангела Михаила (Мурманск).jpg|St. Michael the Archangel's Church

Всехсвятская церковь. Мурманск.jpg|All Saints' Church

Комплекс Свято-Никольского кафедрального собора.JPG|St. Nicholas Cathedral

</gallery>

Economy

Media

Murmansk's evening newspaper is Vecherniy Murmansk; it has been published since 1991.

Transportation

The Port of Murmansk remains ice-free year round due to the warm North Atlantic Current and is an important fishing and shipping destination. The Port is also the headquarters of Sevmorput (Northern Sea Route) and the administration of Russian Arctic maritime transport. In 2018, the Russian government transferred the main responsibility for the Northern Sea Route to Rosatom which manages the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet based in Murmansk through its Atomflot subsidiary.

Murmansk is linked by the Kirov Railway to St.&nbsp;Petersburg and is linked to the rest of Russia by the M18 Kola Motorway. Murmansk Airport provides air links to Moscow and St.&nbsp;Petersburg.

Buses and electric trolleybuses provide local transport.

<gallery mode="packed">

Вокзал станции Мурманск.jpg|Murmansk central rail station

MurmanskHarbour.jpg|Port of Murmansk

Murmansk.Trolleybus№6.jpg|Trolley Ziu-682 with Azimut Hotel Murmansk in the background

Развязка Восточно-объездной дороги и Планерной улицы на подъезде к Мурманску.jpg|An interchange of the Eastern Bypass Road and Planernaya Street

Murmansk (MMK - ULMM) AN1445818.jpg|Murmansk Airport

</gallery>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">

Draha_na_murmansk.png|Kirov Railway connects Murmansk city and Saint Petersburg.

Arctic_Routes_(RUS).svg|Arctic Bridge sea route linking Murmansk to the Canadian port of Churchill, Manitoba. </gallery>

Arctic Bridge

Murmansk is set to be the Russian terminus of the Arctic Bridge, a sea route linking it to the Canadian port of Churchill, Manitoba. Even though the passage has not been fully tested for commercial shipping yet, Russian interest in this project (along with the Northwest Passage) is substantial, as the bridge will serve as a major trade route between North America, Europe and Asia.

Education

thumb|[[Murmansk State Technical University.]]

Murmansk is home to Murmansk State Technical University, the Murmansk Arctic State University (formerly Murmansk State Pedagogical University), the Murmansk Institute of Humanities and the Murmansk College of Arts (the only art school of the Kola Peninsula, formerly the 'Murmansk Music School'). The city has 86 primary schools and 56 secondary schools, two boarding schools, and three reform schools. There is also a branch of the Naval Academy in Murmansk, where cadets study to become officers of the Russian Navy.

Twin towns – sister cities

Murmansk is twinned with:

  • Luleå, Sweden (1972). Paused as a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
  • Vadsø, Norway (1973)
  • Jacksonville, United States (1975)
  • Groningen, Netherlands (1989)
  • Alanya, Turkey (2014)
  • Minsk, Belarus (2014)
  • Harbin, China (2016)

Notable people

  • Nikita Alexeev (born 1981), ice hockey player
  • Vitaliy Nikolayevich Bubentsov (born 1944), Russian artist
  • Aleksey Goman (born 1983), pop singer
  • Kate Grigorieva (born 1988), supermodel
  • Valentina Gunina (born 1989), chess grandmaster
  • Halyna Hutchins (1979–2021), cinematographer and journalist
  • Vladimir Konstantinov (born 1967), ice hockey player
  • Irina Kovalenko (born 1984), supermodel and Miss Russia winner
  • Larisa Kruglova (born 1972), sprinter
  • Sergey Kuryokhin (1954–1996), actor and musician
  • Irina Malgina (born 1973), biathlete
  • Elizaveta Nazarenkova (born 1995), Uzbek rhythmic gymnast
  • Yevgeny Nikitin (born 1973), opera singer
  • Zlata Ognevich (born 1986), Ukrainian singer
  • Sergei Rozhkov (born 1972), biathlete
  • Alexei Semenov (born 1981), ice hockey player
  • Sergey Subbotin (born 1955), former mayor
  • Konstantin Volkov (born 1997), ice hockey player
  • Vitaly Zdorovetskiy (born 1992), YouTube personality, prankster
  • Yana Kunitskaya (born 1989), UFC bantamweight fighter

References

Notes

Sources

  • Official website of Murmansk
  • News of Murmansk
  • Interactive map of Murmansk
  • Barentsnova.com, Murmansk business news, statistics
  • Atomic ice breaker fleet
  • Murmansk's gorgeous garages — a photo journal by BBC news journalist Jorn Madslien
  • Views of Murmansk group on Flickr
  • Video overview of Murmansk in English, 4½ minutes, 2009
  • Murmansk State Technical University
  • British North Russian Expeditionary Force 1918–1919 (based at Murmansk)
  • "Big-dollar deals tempt Arctic firms" BBC article on the energy industry's effect on Murmansk