210 mm Coastal Battery (Liinakhamari)

The 210 mm coastal battery in Liinakhamari is the abandoned position of a German artillery battery from the Second World War in the Pechengsky District of Murmansk Oblast. It sits on Mount Neitinniemi above the village of Liinakhamari, beyond Cape Devkin, near the mouth of Pechenga Bay. Today it is one of the best-known military ruins in the area, with gun emplacements and concrete fortifications still in place.

History

The battery, designated H.K.B. 2./773 and also referred to as No. 454 in some sources, was part of the German defences of the port of Liinakhamari. The port was the main sea gateway to the Petsamo area, and several coastal batteries covered its approaches. The 210 mm battery's main task was counter-battery fire: suppressing Soviet artillery on the Sredny Peninsula and shelling targets in the Soviet rear.

The battery first entered service with two 21 cm guns; a third and then a fourth gun of the same calibre were added later. Most sources identify them as 21 cm K 39/40 guns made by the Czech Škoda works. From the high ground, these long-range guns covered the bay and the approaches to the port.

Soviet forces captured the position during the Petsamo–Kirkenes offensive in October 1944. The taking of the port was preceded by the capture of the neighbouring battery on Cape Krestovy by Northern Fleet scouts, after which a naval landing force came ashore at Liinakhamari. The battery was not used after the war and its emplacements gradually fell into ruin.

What to see

The 210 mm gun pits survive: round platforms cut into the rock and lined with stone and concrete. Next to them are recesses where the guns' ballast boxes were sunk, along with the remains of shelters and communication trenches. The summit looks out over Pechenga Bay, the village and the way out to the Barents Sea, so the site appeals not only to military history fans but also to anyone who comes to Liinakhamari for Arctic scenery.

Getting there

Liinakhamari lies within the border zone, and a permit is required to visit. It is arranged in advance through the Gosuslugi portal or with the FSB border directorate for Murmansk Oblast. A road links the village to Pechenga: travellers first reach Pechenga or Zapolyarny, then continue to Liinakhamari by car, taxi or local bus. Paths lead from the village towards Cape Devkin and the battery; the climb is rocky, so wear sturdy shoes.

Good to know

The concrete structures are old and partly collapsed, so avoid climbing down into the gun pits and recesses. Coastal weather changes quickly, and the wind on the summit is strong even in summer.