2011-05-23

Alexandrovsk, Murmansk Governorate

Polyarny

Polyarny (English)
Полярный (Russian)
- Town -
Map of Russia - Murmansk Oblast (2008-03).svg
Location of Murmansk Oblast in Russia
Coordinates: 69°12′N 33°27′E / 69.2°N 33.45°ECoordinates: 69°12′N 33°27′E / 69.2°N 33.45°E
Coat of Arms of Polyarny (Murmansk oblast).png
Flag of Polyarny (Murmansk oblast).png
Coat of arms
Flag
Administrative status
Country Russia
Federal subject Murmansk Oblast
Municipal status
Urban okrug Polyarny Urban Okrug
Mayor Vladimir Cherepov
Statistics
Population (2002 Census) 18,552 inhabitants
Population (2010 est.) 16,037 inhabitants
Time zone MSD (UTC+04:00)
Founded 1896
Previous names Alexandrovsk (until March 11, 1931),
Polyarnoye (until September 19, 1939)
Postal code(s) 184650
Dialing code(s) +7 81551
Official website

Polyarny (Russian: Поля́рный) is a closed town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the outermost western side of the Kola Bay. Population: 18,552 (2002 Census); 27,635 (1989 Census).

History

It was founded in 1896 as Alexandrovsk (Алекса́ндровск) in honor of Tsar Alexander III. Town status was granted to it on June 20 [O.S. June 7], 1899. At the same time, Alexandrovsk became an , for which reason Kolsky Uyezd was renamed Alexandrovsky.

On October 16, 1925—when the Murmansk Governorate Commission meeting initiated work on compiling the lists of the urban and rural localities—Murmansk, Alexandrovsk, and Kola were categorized as urban; however, a recommendation was sent to the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) to demote the latter two to rural localities due to economic conditions, sparse population, low trade volume, lack of industrial enterprises and "general regression". On March 15, 1926, the VTsIK approved the recommendation, and Alexandrovsk and Kola were re-categorized as rural localities.

On January 12, 1931, the Third Congress of the Soviets of Alexandrovsky District issued a resolution, renaming the district "Polyarny" at the same time the village of Alexandrovskoye was renamed Polyarnoye (Поля́рное). On March 5, 1931 the new name of the district was approved by the administrative commission of the Leningrad Oblast Executive Committee, and on March 11, 1931—by its Presidium. While the Presidium of the VTsIK never officially gave a final approval for this renaming, de facto the name has changed.

In 1934, the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee unsuccessfully petitioned to grant town status to Polyarnoye and to rename it Krasnoflotsk. Town status, however, was not granted to Polyarnoye until September 19, 1939, when it was at the same time renamed Polyarny.

By the June 14, 1956 Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, Polyarny was demoted in status to that of a town under district jurisdiction and subordinated to .

Military

Russian Shipyard Number 10 (Shkval) is located in Polyarny, and in the West is more often referred to by the name of the town than by its official name. As the first nuclear-powered submarines were delivered to the Northern Fleet at the end of the 1950s, the yard was modified for docking and repair of these vessels. As Soviet (and now Russian) naval nuclear vessels are decommissioned, they are laid up at Polyarny to await defuelling and disposal.

Honors

In a presidential decree dated May 5, 2008, the town of Polyarny was awarded the title of the City of Military Glory.

References

Notes

Sources

  • Архивный отдел Администрации Мурманской области. Государственный Архив Мурманской области. (1995). Административно-территориальное деление Мурманской области (1920-1993 гг.). Справочник. Мурманск: Мурманское издательско-полиграфическое предприятие "Север".





Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyarny