Cities of the Kola Peninsula: Varzuga

A Pearl on the Varzuga River

Varzuga is situated in the south of the Kola Peninsula in Murmansk Oblast on the shores of Varzuga river and 30 km from the White Sea and almost on the Arctic circle. The first information about Varzuga is dated from 1419. All live of Varzuga is connected to fishing and before that on collecting river pearls from the river.

From the second half of the 15th century the Solovetsky Monastery had property in Varzuga. The Solovetsky Monastery is build on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. In the beginning of the year 1490 Varzuga became a big village and counted over 150 houses. Varzuga became trade and fishing centre even they had an own castle. Unfortunately the castle does not exist anymore. In the middle of the 17th century the Moscovian Tsjaar confiscated some land from Solovetsky Monastery including Varzuga.

In 1674 the Uspenskaya Church was build (see photo). This is the oldest wooden church (1684) on the Kola Peninsula and build totally form wood without any nails. The base of the church lays in a plan of a cross. Each of the four parts of the Uspenskaya Church makes an equal cross and each branch of the cross measured 4 by 5 meters.

Varzuga River is 254 km in length and flows into the White Sea. It freezes up in October and stays under the ice until May. This is the most prolific atlantic salmon fishing river in the whole of the Kola peninsula.

During many tours on Kola Peninsula we will visit Varzuga. We will visit the interesting Uspenskaya Church and walk on the duckboards through the village.!