alyosha monument, monument of the defenders of the soviet arctic during the great patriotic war

It's my profile picture in this website, so I think that says it all! It overlooks Murmansk and it's the city most important monument. It doesn't take 2nd place to the other "victory monuments" on the ex-ussr.

We stayed one day in Murmansk having crossed the border from Norway into Russia. It was still snowy and cold so the visit was freezing but we were determined to see something of the city and thought the views would be good from the hill on which the statue sits. We took trolleybus number 3 which runs up Lenina prospekt - the main road through the city. It costs 22rb per ticket for a single. We alighted just near the lake (a friendly local told us where to get off), crossed the road and entered near the fun fair/big wheel. If you follow the lake shore around to the right, the way to the statue will become apparent. We could have crossed the frozen lake and joined all the skiers but decided against it! At the statue there are some plaques and signs but all in Russian. There were wreaths and a lit fire also. Very impressive in its size, the statue was interesting to see close up but we didn't stay for long as it was so cold!! Good views of the port and water.

Interesting monument, you can walk around the lake to get to it. The view from monument is really nice. Worth the visit.

To me Alyosha is a very remarkable statue, given that I mostly encounter all variations on Mother Fatherland, but Murmansk has a determined-looking soldier at the peak of its monument to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. I think it's a unique statue and the top of the mountain it's situated on gives nice views over Murmansk.

A great place to visit when you allready is in this dirty town. A great view of the polutet dirty city. Murmansk is probably the worst place i have ever been to.

This monument towers over the city of Murmansk and is visible from when you enter the city over the fjord.

The huge statue of a soldier can be seen from virtually anywhere in Murmansk. Located at one of the highest points of the city (if not THE highest) it offers great views of not only the city itself but also the harbor. On the way you will drive past a vast amount of typical soviet housing blocks which I also enjoyed very much.

Very impressive, huge sculpture creates an impression. There is a wall of wreaths and a continuous flame, as a memorial to the soldiers who died in world war II. The sculpture is perched on top of a hill, allowing a view of the city and marina. It is worth a visit.

My first love. The first european city visited with my ship...it was such a lovely city i ll remember till my death. Love for Russians. Visit you again :-)

This is a stark reminder that everyone loses when countries go to war. History repeats itself and you understand that Governments everywhere should talk, talk talk.

The view is breath-taking, the entire city and the surrounding landscape are beneath. The war memorial is indeed significant, both historically and culturally. It is better to have a guide with you to tell more or do some reading before visiting the site. It is usually windy all the year round; cold in winter. Not to be missed!

If you're in Murmansk, you must see this monument. It is one of the largest in the world, has great sociocultural significance in the area and in Russia in general, and provides great views of the city. Usually I would provide a more detailed description, but it seems clear to me that any trip to Murmansk requires a stop at the monument.

Our collective memory of World War 2 is greatly influenced by the Western media. The Allied victory against Nazi Germany is written on the front pages of history books and Soviet war contributions are written in a manner to serve the Allied forces military objectives. Murmansk is the vital port and one of the key cities to the Soviet Union. Like other key cities that are on the frontiers of the path of Nazi's invasion, the fall of Murmansk could dramatically alter the course of history and our destiny could have been rewritten. The Nazis harbored great ambitions to take down Murmansk as this would imply cutting off Soviet's resource supply from the Far East used to make their war machines.Alyosha can be reached from ul Chelyuskintsev after alighting from the bus stop in front of a park next to Lake Semyonovskoe (frozen in winter). A slow walk in the park takes you to the attraction such as the amusement park beside the lake and Oceanarium (closed in winter). You will approach a street with a gradual ascent. Follow the street with Soviet apartments on your right and make a left turn on a slip road where you can see Alyosha's back.The whole of Murmansk and its port can be viewed from Alyosha. You can also witness the "Hero City" medal emblems of Soviet cities (eg. Leningrad [St Petersburg], Kiev and Moscow) to commemorate the Great Patriotic War there. An hour or two can be spent taking photos or enjoying the silence and peace.

Great view. Impressive statue. Typical monument for the area. Second tallest in Russia. We must remember those who gave their lives.

Ok the monument is huge, biggest one I've seen for a while. It's also a great look out point to see Murmansk and it's docks. You know Murmansk's docks stretch for 24 km's