The Murmansk region is the extreme northwestern region of Russia and one of the youngest subjects of the Russian Federation. Its 85-year history is closely connected with the development of the Far North of Russia.
Large-scale development of this area began in the early 1900s. However, by that time there were already many pages in the chronicle of the Kola Peninsula.
One of the most striking evidence is petroglyphs – rock carvings of ancient people found on the shore of Lake Kanozero and dating back to the IV–II centuries BC.
For a long time the Kola land was inhabited by the Sami, the indigenous people of the North, and in the XV–XVI centuries settlements of the Pomors began to arise.
The traditions of the ancient Pomors and the identity of the Sami were complemented by modern trends and enriched by the talents and experience of people who arrived in the Kola Far North from all corners of vast Russia.
Today, the culture of the Murmansk region is rich and multifaceted: 13 regional and municipal museums, 3 theaters and a philharmonic hall, 138 libraries, 74 cultural and leisure institutions, 50 children's art schools, music and art schools, as well as an art college.
There are 385 monuments of history, culture and archeology in the Murmansk region, of which 175 objects of cultural heritage are under state protection, including 24 objects of cultural heritage of federal significance. There are unique objects of archeology here – stone labyrinths near the White and Barents Seas, rock carvings. The most significant is the monument of archaeological heritage Complex of petroglyphs – rock paintings in the Terskiy district dated IV - II thousand BC; monuments of wooden architecture: St. Nicholas Church of the XVII century in the village of Kovda, the Church of the Assumption built in 1674 in the village of Varzuga, the Putniy Cross (wooden) of the XVII century in the city of Cola, the Svyatonossky Lighthouse built in 1862 on the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula; the historical monument Ekaterininskiy Kopets of 1826 in the Pechenga district; the object of science and technology Atomic Icebreaker Lenin in 1959 in the city of Murmansk.
The sphere of culture includes creative associations of writers, artists, theatrical figures, cinemas, historical and architectural monuments, folklore crafts and crafts and many other aspects. The professional art of the region is represented by a Drama theater, a puppet theater, a philharmonic society, a Navy theater and a Song and Dance Ensemble of the Navy.
The Kola Land is an inexhaustible source of various cultural initiatives. It was in Murmansk, where, at the suggestion of the Regional Branch of the Writers' Union, in 1986, for the first time in many decades, the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture was held, which gave impetus to the revival of this holiday in Russia. Later, the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture became a national holiday.
