Peninsula Rybachiy - the place where the earth ends

The song of the war years "Goodbye, rocky mountains" was heard by many, and some, perhaps, even remember the words of this song, which mentions the Rybachy peninsula, melting in a distant fog. But at the same time, few people wondered: where is this land located? It is located in the north of the Kola Peninsula, beyond the Arctic Circle, 150 km from the regional center of the city of Murmansk. And Cape German, located on the peninsula, is the northernmost geographical point of the continental part of European territory.

History of the peninsula

In this harsh but beautiful place, located on the shores of the Barents Sea and Motovka Bay, people began to settle long ago. Its name Peninsula Rybachiy, according to the surviving documents, was received back in the 16th century. And indeed, in the waters surrounding the peninsula, which do not freeze all year round thanks to the Nordkapp current, the Pomors have from time immemorial fish (herring, capelin, cod, etc.). The Russian Empire has become a peninsula since 1826, when the state border with Norway was finally established. After the revolution of 1917, the western part of the island withdrew to Finland, which was subsequently annexed to the USSR after the Soviet-Finnish war.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Arctic became the scene of fierce battles between Soviet troops and the Wehrmacht troops. The German command attached great importance to the seizure of the Kola Peninsula, rich in nickel deposits, and planned to quickly seize Murmansk, the main point of the Northern Fleet's base, but these plans were not to come true. On the way of the invaders came Rybachiy peninsula, which is the most important strategic point from which the entrance to the Pechenga, Kola and Motovsky bays was controlled. The fisherman remained an unsinkable battleship for them, which played a decisive role in protecting the northern borders of our Motherland.

At the end of the war, on the peninsula of Rybachiy, located almost on the very border with Norway, which is part of the NATO bloc, there were Soviet military garrisons, and entry into its territory was limited. At present, most of the garrisons are closed, and almost everyone can get there.

Peninsula today

Peninsula Rybachy, a map of which abounds in bays and bays, rivers and lakes, has become a place of pilgrimage for ecotourism lovers. This is where fans of off-road racing and extreme diving fans come not only from Russia, but also from other countries.

Also on the peninsula of Rybachy in the summer season, many representatives of youth patriotic clubs come to visit the places of bloody battles of the Second World War and to support monuments to the dead soldiers in the proper condition.

It really is the real Edge of the Earth - only the boundless expanses of the Arctic Ocean are further, against which all those arriving here make memorable photos. The fishing peninsula and the Middle Peninsula adjoining to it are attractive because Northern Lights are most often seen here . It is not without reason that the longest polar night (42 days) on the mainland and the polar day (59 days) are here.