Polyarny Krug Stele

The Polyarny Krug ("Arctic Circle") stele marks the point where the Arctic Circle crosses the approach to Salekhard, the administrative center of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The monument stands on the Salekhard–Airport road, part of the Salekhard–Labytnangi–Kharp highway, a few minutes' drive from the city airport.

History

The first monument on this spot was built in 1980 near the Polyarny Krug hotel on Chapaev Street. It was designed by artist V. I. Otradnov together with architects V. G. Kaygorov and V. I. Muksin. The monument consisted of two triangular pyramids, 20 and 22 meters tall, made of sheet iron and joined by a semicircular arch 26 meters in diameter. The pyramids' differing heights were deliberate: they symbolized the fact that about 47% of the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug's territory lies beyond the Arctic Circle.

During perestroika the monument picked up an ironic local nickname — "the monument to the vanished sausage" — a nod to the shortages of the era.

In 2003 the stele was dismantled and moved to a new location, closer to the city entrance on the airport road. The new stele was designed by Ilya Yakushev of the Yekaterinburg Art Foundation.

Design

The current stele repeats the original composition: two triangular pyramids, 20 and 22 meters high, connected by a semicircle 24 meters in diameter. Unlike the first monument, the pyramids are made of fiberglass composite and covered with reflective panels that catch headlights during the polar night. The structure stands on a 1.5-meter pedestal.

The stele marks the conventional line of the 66th parallel — the boundary of the Arctic Circle. Travelers passing through can get a personalized certificate confirming they have crossed the Arctic Circle.

Legend

According to one local legend, the Arctic Circle in Salekhard was already marked back in the late 19th century, by a brick stele on Kabatskaya Street (now Lenin Street). This version is considered unreliable: researchers generally agree that stele was put up for a different reason — to mark a visit to Obdorsk, as the town was then called.

Getting there

The stele stands on the Salekhard–Airport road, on the route leading to Labytnangi and Kharp. It is about a six-minute drive from Salekhard Airport to the monument, making it one of the first landmarks visitors see on the way into town.