The northwestern corner of Russia lies on the Barents Sea, an arm of the Arctic Ocean. The broad, eastward-pointing Kola Peninsula (Kolskiy Poluostrov) separates the Barents Sea from the nearly-enclosed White Sea, which extends southward more than 500 km (300 mi). Arkhangel'sk, located at the southeasternmost point of the White Sea, became Russia's chief port under Ivan the Terrible in the mid 1500s and there has been a lively trade between Western Europe and Arkhangel'sk through these northern waters for almost 500 years. It may come as a surprise to lighthouse fans to learn that there are many lighthouses along these Arctic waterways, including more than a few nineteenth century towers built under the tsars. These lighthouses are surely among the most poorly known in the world. Under the Soviets almost none of them were accessible to Westerners and even today many areas in the Russian North are restricted. But cruise ships are beginning to visit these waters so conditions for visiting the lighthouses may be improving. This page lists includes lighthouses on the northwestern coasts of the White Sea in the Tersky and Kandalakshsky Districts of Murmansk Oblast and in the autonomous Republic of Karelia. The lighthouse descriptions given are from the U.S. NGA List unless photos are available. Special thanks to Michel Forand for locating many of the photo links on this page and sharing data from the Admiralty List of Lights. However, we still need photos of many sites. If you have any photos of lighthouses in this area, or spot any such photos on the Internet, please let me know. Russian lighthouses are owned and operated by the Russian Navy, although some of them have civilian keepers. The Russian word for a lighthouse is mayak (маяк); mys (мыс) is a cape and ostrov (остров) is an island. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Russian light list (RU) numbers are from Russian Navy Publication 2105, as reported by the Admiralty. Admiralty numbers are from volume L of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 115. The Russian light list, Огни и знаки (Lights and Signs), is not available online.
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Murmansk Oblast: Tersky District Lighthouses
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![]() Ostrov Sredniye Ludy Light, Kandalaksha Bay, May 2006 Panoramio photo copyright Serge Gorbartov; permission requested |
Murmansk Oblast: Kandalakshsky District Lighthouse
Republic of Karelia Lighthouses
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![]() Rombakskiy Light, Kem', August 2008 (now lost) ex-Panoramio photo copyright Dm!try_S; permission requested |
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![]() Zhuzhmuysky (Ostrov Bolshoy) Light, Onega Bay, July 2012 ex-Panoramio photo copyright Peter V.; permission requested |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Northern Kola Peninsula | South: Southern White Sea
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Posted December 7, 2005. Checked and revised September 30, 2019. Lighthouses: 34. Site copyright 2019 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.