Lighthouses of Russia: Arkhangel'sk

The northwestern corner of Russia lies on the Barents Sea, an arm of the Arctic Ocean. The broad, eastward-pointing Kola Peninsula (Kolskiy Poluostrov) separates the Barents Sea from the nearly-enclosed White Sea, which extends southward more than 500 km (300 mi). Arkhangel'sk, located at the southeasternmost point of the White Sea, became Russia's chief port under Ivan the Terrible in the mid 1500s, and there has been a lively trade between Western Europe and Arkhangel'sk through these northern waters for almost 500 years.

The approach to Arkhangel'sk is through the twisting channels of the delta of Northern Dvina (Severnaya Dvina) River. This page lists the many range light towers along these northern waterways. I'm indebted to Michel Forand for his research on these lights.

Broadly speaking, the river has three main branches as it approaches the sea: the Nikol'skiy Branch on the west, the Murmanskiy Branch in the center, and the Korabel'nyy Branch on the east. The Korabel'nyy Branch includes the main channel for oceangoing ships. The Nikol'skiy Branch provides a shortcut between Arkhangel'sk and the naval base at Severodvinsk (lighthouses of Severodvinsk are on the Southern White Sea page).

Russian lighthouses are owned and operated by the Russian Navy, although some of them have civilian keepers. The Russian word for a lighthouse is mayak (маяк); mys is a cape and ostrov is an island.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Russian light list (RU) numbers are from Russian Navy Publication 2105, as reported by the Admiralty. Admiralty numbers are from volume L of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 115.
Yagry Light
Yagry Light, Yagry
Wikimapia Creative Commons photo by Yevgeniy Andreev
Nikol'skiy Branch Lighthouses
Yagry
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower. A Wikimedia photo is above, Viktor Chulkov has a view from the sea, another photo and a fourth photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. The tower looks abandoned in all of the available photos. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Nikol'skiy Branch from the White Sea at Yagry, about 16 km (10 mi) north of Severodvinsk. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ERU-172; RU-4275; Admiralty L6950.
Kegostrovskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 24 m (79 ft); continuous red light. 22 m (72 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a white daymark with a black border. No photo available; Google has a good satellite view. This is a downstream range for vessels leaving Arkhangel'sk. Located on the south bank of the branch 580 m (1900 ft) west of the front light (next entry). Site status unknown. RU-4286; Admiralty L7015.41.
Kegostrovskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 2.5 s. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a white daymark with a black border. No photo available; Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the south bank of the branch about 8 km (5 mi) west of Arkhangel'sk. Site status unknown. RU-4283; Admiralty L7015.4.
Zelenetskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous red light. 13 m (43 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, carrying a slatted daymark and an orange lantern with a black vertical stripe. V.N. Kuznetsov's photo is at right, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This range guides vessels arriving in Arkhangel'sk. Located on the south bank of the branch about 5 km (3 mi) west of the Arkhangel'sk waterfront. Site status unknown. RU-4290; Admiralty L7016.
Zelenetskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (56 ft); continuous red light. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, carrying a slatted daymark and an orange lantern with a black vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located in an industrial neighborhood on the south bank of the branch 385 m (1260 ft) southeast of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-4290; Admiralty L7016.
Verkhne Kegostrovskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); continuous red light. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, carrying a slatted daymark and an orange lantern with a black vertical stripe. A photo of the range is available, and Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels entering the branch from Arkhangel'sk. Located on the north bank of the branch about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of the Arkhangel'sk waterfront. Site status unknown. RU-4281; Admiralty L7015.1.
Verkhne Kegostrovskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous red light. 13 m (43 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, carrying a slatted daymark and an orange lantern with a black vertical stripe. A photo of the range is available, and Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels entering the branch from Arkhangel'sk. Located on the north bank of the branch 134 m (440 ft) east of the rear light. Site status unknown. RU-4280; Admiralty L7015.
Zelenetskiy Range Front Light
Zelenetskiy Range Front Light, May 2008
Panoramio photo copyright Y.N. Kuznetsov; permission requested

Ostrov Golets Lighthouse
Ostrov Golets
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a large rectangular red and white daymark. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the western point of Golets island, marking the north side of the entrance to the little-used Murmanskiy Branch of the delta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-4142; Admiralty L6960.

Lower Korabel'nyy Branch Lighthouses
Note: For lighthouses of Mudyugskiy Island, on the approaches to the Korabel'nyy Branch, see the Eastern White Sea page.
Lapominka (Lapominskiy) Range Front (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 2 s. 10 m (30 ft) square skeletal tower. The upper third of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This is the entrance range for the branch, the easternmost mouth of the Dvina. Located on Ostrov Chizhov, a marshy island at the northeastern tip of the Dvina Delta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-3790; Admiralty L6984; NGA 16116.
Lapominka (Lapominskiy) Range Rear (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (56 ft); white flash every 2 s. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower. The upper third of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 280 m (920 ft) east southeast of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-3791; Admiralty L6984.1; NGA 16120.
Bakanskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 1.5 s. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower. The upper third of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. A very distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the Severnaya Dvina, about 1.5 km (1 mi) southwest of the Ustyansky Range Rear Light. Site status unknown. Admiralty L6981; NGA 16100.
Bakanskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 27 m (89 ft) square skeletal tower. The upper third of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. (Note how a swath of the forest has been cleared to provide visibility for the light.) Located on the east side of the Severnaya Dvina, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of the Vasilyevskiy Range Rear Light. Site status unknown. ARLHS ERU-159; Admiralty L6981.1; NGA 16104.
Vasil'yevskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light, 0.75 s on, 0.75 s off. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. A photo is at right, and a second photo is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the area. RU-3690; Admiralty L6975; NGA 16064.
Vasil'yevskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); continuous white light. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower. The upper third of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but the shadow of the tower is seen in a Google satellite view. Located on the east side of the channel, 6.6 km (4.1 mi) south of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS ERU-171; RU-3691; Admiralty L6975.1; NGA 16068.
Vasil'yevskiy Range Front Light
Vasil'yevskiy Range Front Light, March 2010
Panoramio photo copyright bathet; permission requested

Maymaksa Channel Lighthouses
Note: The Maymaksa Channel provides an alternate route to Arkhangel'sk; it lies to the east of the main Korabel'nyy Branch between the city and Lapominka. Ostrov Brevennik and Ostrov Solombala separate the two channels. Industrial areas line the east side of the Maymaksa Channel, so it carries significant ship traffic.
Yakusheva (Ustyanovsky Range Front)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower. The entire front of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the northwestern corner of Ostrov Lisunova, a marshy island at the northern tip of the Dvina Delta. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-3710; Admiralty L6977; NGA 16080.
Tsiolkevicha (Ustyanovsky Range Rear)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); quick flashing white light. 27 m (89 ft) square skeletal tower. The upper third of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but the shadow of the tower is seen in a Google satellite view. Located on the south side of Ostrov Lisunova, about 1640 m (1 mi) southeast of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS ERU-170; Admiralty L6977.1; NGA 16084.
Perekhodnyy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (56 ft); green light, 1.5 s off, 1.5 s on. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower. The entire front of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted black with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the Lapominka Range Rear Light. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-3801; Admiralty L6986.1; NGA 16128.
Reushinskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 2 s. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower with a white square daymark. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels northbound vessels leaving Arkhangel'sk. Located on the east side of the waterway north of Ostrov Brevennik. Site status unknown. RU-3845; Admiralty L6990.
Reushinskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 4 s. 24 m (79 ft) square skeletal tower with a white square daymark. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located about 500 m (0.3 mi) northeast of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3846; Admiralty L6990.1.
Ekonomskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous green light. 12 m (39 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern. The entire front of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located in Port Ekonomiya, at the northern tip of Ostrov Solombala and the junction of the Maymaksa and Kuznechikha Channels. Site status unknown. RU-3820; Admiralty L6989.
Ekonomskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous green light. 18 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern. Theupper half of the tower carries a slatted daymark painted red with a white vertical stripe. A photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Located in Port Ekonomiya, 254 m (835 ft) south of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3821; Admiralty L6989.1.
Chizhovskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); continuous red light. 18 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. The light is at the far left of a photo of Port Ekonomiya, and Google has a satellite view. This range guides vessels docking at Port Ekonomiya. Located on the south bank of the waterway about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) southeast of the northern end of the channel. Site status unknown. RU-3910; Admiralty L6988.
Chizhovskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); continuous red light. 26 m (85 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 444 m (1450 ft) southeast of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3911; Admiralty L6988.1.
Obratnyy Reushinskiy (Reushinskiy Reverse) Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (26 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The front light is on a similar but shorter tower. Located on the east side of the waterway just north of the village of Ust' Krivyak, about 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of the northbound range (previous entries). Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-3850; Admiralty L6991.
Ekonomskiy Range Rear Light
Ekonomskiy Range Rear Light, March 2010
Panoramio photo copyright Igor A.; permission requested
Obratnyy Reushinskiy (Reushinskiy Reverse) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous red light. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The front light is on a similar but shorter tower. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. RU-3851; Admiralty L6991.1.
Osinovyy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous green light. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. A photo is available, but the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located in the northern part of the village of Ust' Krivyak. Site probably open, tower closed. RU-3866; Admiralty L6993.5.
Osinovyy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, and the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on a pier in Ust' Krivyak. Site probably open, tower closed. RU-3865; Admiralty L6993.4.
Nizhne (Lower) Krivyakskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous green light. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. A distant view is available, but the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. This range guides southbound vessels. Located in the center of Ust' Krivyak. Site probably open, tower closed. RU-3855; Admiralty L6992.
Nizhne (Lower) Krivyakskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); continuous green light. 16 m (52 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, and the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located in the southern part of Ust' Krivyak. Site probably open, tower closed. RU-3856; Admiralty L6992.1.
Sredne (Middle) Krivyakskiy (No. 8) Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous red light. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. The lighthouse is at the left in a distant view (click on the photo for magnification), and Google has a satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on the waterfront on the east bank of the waterway opposite Ust' Krivyak. Site status unknown. RU-3875; Admiralty L6995.
Sredne (Middle) Krivyakskiy (No. 8) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous red light. 19 m (62 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 260 m (850 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3876; Admiralty L6995.1.
Verkhne (Upper) Krivyakskiy (No. 7) Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous green light. 20 m (66 ft) building with the light mounted on the roof. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view of the building. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on the waterfront on the east bank of the waterway about 600 m (0.4 mi) southeast of the middle range front light. Site status unknown. RU-3880; Admiralty L6995.4.
Verkhne (Upper) Krivyakskiy (No. 7) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); continuous green light. 23 m (75 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, and the light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located 333 m (1090 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3881; Admiralty L6995.5.
Povrakul'skiy (No. 4) Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); continuous red light. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on the waterfront on the east bank of the waterway. Site status unknown. RU-3895; Admiralty L6998.
Povrakul'skiy (No. 4) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); continuous red light. 24 m (79 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 260 m (850 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3895; Admiralty L6998.
Nizhne (Lower) Kur'yaretskiy (No. 3) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); continuous red light. 18 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, and the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. This range guides southbound vessels. Located in a residential area on the east bank of the waterway near its south end. Site status unknown, probably open. RU-3901; Admiralty L6998.9.
Kur'yaretskiy Common Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (56 ft); two continuous green lights. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, and the tower is not seen clearly in Google's satellite view. Apparently located on a pier on the east bank of the waterway near its south end. Site status unknown. RU-3900 (northbound range) and 3905 (northbound range); Admiralty L6999.
Kur'yaretskiy (No. 2) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); continuous red light. 20 m (59 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. A photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located 200 m (650 ft) east of the common front light. Site status unknown, probably open. RU-3906; Admiralty L6999.1.
Brevennikovskiy (No. 1) Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous green light. 14 m (43 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a white daymark with a black vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on the waterfront on the west bank of the waterway at a sharp turn in the channel. Site status unknown. RU-3908; Admiralty L7001.
Brevennikovskiy (No. 1) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); continuous green light. 16 m (52 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a white daymark with a black vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 200 m (660 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3909; Admiralty L7001.1.
Amosovskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous red light. 9 m (30 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, carrying a red daymark with a white vertical stripe. A photo is available, but Google has an indistinct satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on the waterfront on the east bank of the waterway near its south end. Site status unknown. RU-3910; Admiralty L7002.
Amosovskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); continuous red light. 23 m (75 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, carrying a white daymark with a black vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 315 m (1030 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3911; Admiralty L7002.1.
Kur'yaretskiy Range Rear Light
Kur'yaretskiy Range Rear Light, March 2010
Panoramio photo copyright bathet; permission requested

Arkhangel'sk Harbor Lighthouses
Udel'ninskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); continuous red light. 18 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. Both range lights appear in a panorama of the area (click on the photo for magnification), and Google has a satellite view. This range guides northbound vessels. Located on the waterfront on the west bank of the waterway at a sharp turn in the channel. Site status unknown. RU-3960; Admiralty L7004.
Udel'ninskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); continuous red light. 25 m (82 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery and a red lantern, carrying a black daymark with a white vertical stripe. Both range lights appear in a panorama of the area (click on the photo for magnification), and Google has a satellite view. Located 300 m (980 ft) north of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-3961; Admiralty L7004.1.
Bakaritskiy Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous red light. 10 m (33 ft) lantern mounted on the roof of a large waterfront warehouse. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of a side channel of the river just above Arkhangel'sk. Site status unknown. RU-4030; Admiralty L7009.4.
Bakaritskiy Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); continuous red light. 21 m (69 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery carrying a red daymark with a white vertical stripe. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located 480 m (1575 ft) south of the front light. Site status unknown. RU-4031; Admiralty L7009.41.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Eastern White Sea | West: Southern White Sea

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Posted December 7, 2005. Separate page created October 28, 2011. Checked and revised September 7, 2012. Lighthouses: 46. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.