On 22nd December 2023, the Day of the Murmansk Region was held at VDNH in Moscow, during which a proposal was made to the Governor of Murmansk Region Andrei Vladimirovich Chibis, for the installation of a monument to Emperor Nicholas II in the center of Murmansk.

Historical memory must be observed, and in accordance with the initiatives of the residents and the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, a decision was made to build a cathedral [Preobrazhensky St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral] in Murmansk. The cathedral will be dedicated to the heroes of the First and Second World Wars. In addition, the installation of a monument to Emperor Nicholas II on the grounds of the cathedral is already being considered, however, the proposal must be approved by the residents of Murmansk,” the governor said.

The decision to build a cathedral in Murmansk was proposed 106 years ago, by Russia’s last Tsar, who approved the project. According to project manager Archpriest Vladimir Semenov, the completion of the cathedral “will fulfill the last will of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II, who is the founder of our city and the governing synod until February 1917”. Construction on the cathedral began earlier this year and is expected to be completed in 2028.

PHOTO: artist concept of Preobrazhensky St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral in Murmansk, to be completed in 2028

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Recall that Murmansk was the last city founded in the Russian Empire. Russia’s first ice free port was founded here in 1916 by Nicholas II and named Romanov-on-Murman. It was officially named Murmansk during the Soviet years.

In recent years, Emperor Nicholas II has been commemorated in a number of projects in Murmansk and the surrounding region:

• In June 2019, Murmansk Airport was reamed Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport
• In July 2019, plans were announced for a bust-monument to Nicholas II, to be installed in front of the main terminal at Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport
• In November 2020, a permanent photo-exhibition dedicated to Nicholas II opened in the terminal building at Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport
• In  December 2020, a bust-monument to Nicholas II was installed on the grounds of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Kovdor
• In January 2023, plans were announced for the installment of  sculptural composition of the last Russian Imperial Family, in front of Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport

© Paul Gilbert. 22 December 2023

PHOTO: artist concept of new monument to the Imperial Family at the Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport (above); and the monument of Emperor Nicholas II and his family by the Russian sculptor Semyon Platonov (below)

In June 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the airport in the Russian arctic city of Murmansk would be renamed in honour of Emperor Nicholas II. Murmansk, Russia’s first ice free port was founded in 1916 by Nicholas II and named Romanov-on-Murman.

In the autumn of 2018 a nationwide online poll was held in which the Russian people could cast votes to rename 42 major airports across Russia. More than 5.5 million people took part in the ‘Great Names of Russia’ poll. More than 140,000 people in the Murmansk region took part in the poll on the renaming of Murmansk Airport. The names of Ivan Papanin and Boris Safonov were among the candidates, however. Russia’s last Tsar received 68,260 votes or 48% of the total votes tallied.

In December 2019, the head of the Kola District Administration announced plans to expand and modernize the Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport, which includes construction of a second terminal for flights within Russia began in 2021. The name of Nicholas II will be placed on the facades of each of the two terminals.

In addition is the reconstruction of the square in front of the main air terminal, of which several projects were considered. Initially, a bust-monument of Nicholas II was proposed, however, this idea has now been shelved.

In November 2020, a permanent photo exhibition dedicated to Emperor Nicholas II has opened in the terminal building of Murmansk Airport.

PHOTO: artist concept of the square in memory of Emperor Nicholas II at Murmansk Airport (above); and view of the of new monument to the Imperial Family to be installed in the center of the square (below)

On 26th January 2023, the architecture and landscaping firm Хмель in St Petersburg, published an artist’s concept by architect Marina Khmel of the new square in front of the Nicholas II-Murmansk Airport, the highlight of which will be a major sculptural composition of the last Russian Imperial Family.

The square in memory of Emperor Nicholas II will feature landscaped gardens with flowerbeds and trees, as well a place for holding events, information stands and temporary outdoor exhibitions. The square will also include a quiet space for travelers to rest, and a platform for boarding and disembarking from buses and cars.

In the center of the park will be a monument of Emperor Nicholas II and his family by the Russian sculptor Semyon Platonov. The sculptural composition is based on a famous photograph from 1913, which depicts Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna surrounded by their five children – Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei.

© Paul Gilbert. 28 January 2023

PHOTO: Monument to Nicholas II in the city of Kovdor, Murmansk Region

On 19th December 2020, a new monument-bust to Nicholas II was unveiled in the Murmansk region. The proposal to install the monument was approved only last week, after a vote by local residents with 512 participants in favour, and 38 against.

The bronze bust was established on the grounds of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Kovdor, which is situated about 300 km south of Murmansk.

The bust weighs 300 kilograms, and the marble pedestal weighs about two tons, and is planned to be erected in early 2021.

The idea of ​​erecting the monument is that of members of the Tsar’s Cross Movement in June 2020. The local church parish raised the necessary funds for the pedestal, and the bronze bust itself was donated by the Alley of Russian Glory sculptural workshop situated in Kropotkin, Krasnodar Krai region.

The purpose of erecting the monument to the Tsar-Martyr is to emphasize the contribution of Nicholas II to the development of the Murmansk region in the early 20th century.

Nicholas II is the founder of the city of Romanov-on-Murman, which was renamed Murmansk by the Bolsheviks in April 1917. In June 2019, the local airport was renamed after the Emperor; and on 20th November 2020, a permanent photo exhibition dedicated to Nicholas II was opened in the terminal building of the airport.

PHOTO: Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kovdor

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Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, more than 70 monuments, busts and memorials to Nicholas II have been established in more than 30 regions across Russia. Click HERE to review more than 30 of them in my Nicholas II Monuments category

© Paul Gilbert. 21 December 2020