Ship's cannon monument (Zapolyarny)

The ship's cannon monument is a memorial to the soldiers of the naval rifle brigades in the town of Zapolyarny, Pechengsky District, Murmansk Oblast. The gun stands on a rocky hill at the entrance to the town from the Pechenga side, near Lenin Street, and is clearly visible from the road.

History

The monument was erected in 1972. It honours the soldiers of the naval rifle brigades who liberated the settlement of Pilgujärvi, where Zapolyarny later grew, in October 1944 during the Petsamo–Kirkenes operation. Travel guides name the 69th, 70th and 72nd naval rifle brigades; other descriptions link the memorial to the gunners of the Northern Fleet's coastal artillery, who in those days cut off the road for retreating German units with their fire.

A real 130 mm naval gun was chosen for the monument. According to descriptions it is a B-13 gun of the 1935 pattern, the main armament of Soviet destroyers and coastal batteries of that time.

What to see

The gun sits on a stone pedestal at the top of the rock. It is not a replica but a real naval gun: the long-barrelled 130 mm piece with its shield stands out against the sky and the northern hills. The monument was placed so that everyone entering Zapolyarny on the road from Pechenga sees it, a reminder of the soldiers who liberated Pilgujärvi and of the fighting in the Arctic in autumn 1944.

For a long time the memorial looked neglected, which spoiled the impression. In recent years the site has been improved: lighting was added, flagpoles about 12 metres high with the flags of Zapolyarny were put up, and the road below the monument was rebuilt. Today the cannon is one of the landmarks at the town entrance.

Getting there

The monument is at the entrance to Zapolyarny from the Pechenga side, at the start of Lenin Street. By car, take the R-21 Kola highway, turn off to Zapolyarny and drive up to the hill. The walk up to the gun takes a few minutes; in winter and icy weather the path on the rock can be slippery. Map services and guides to the Pechenga area mark the place as the Cannon Monument on Lenin Street, so it is easy to find by navigator. A visit takes little time and fits well with a walk around the centre of Zapolyarny.