Cape Chelyuskin

Cape Chelyuskin is the northernmost point of the Eurasian continent and also the northernmost point of mainland Russia. It is found at the tip of the Taymyr Peninsula, a bit south of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, in the area known as Krasnoyarsk Krai. At this special place, there stands a tall light on a framework tower, about 17 metres or 56 feet high, to help ships and planes know where they are.

This amazing cape is very close to the North Pole, being about 1,371 kilometres or 852 miles away from it. Just a little to the west of Cape Chelyuskin, there is another headland called Cape Vega. Between these two capes lies a beautiful area of water known as Oscar Bay.

History

The cape was first reached in May 1742 by an expedition led by Semion Chelyuskin. It was later renamed in his honor. In 1878, Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld passed by the cape during the first sea voyage through the Northeast Passage.

In 1919, explorer Roald Amundsen left two men at the cape, but they later went missing. A search for them was conducted but no clues were found.

A weather and water study station was built there in 1932. The cape also has the northernmost airfield in Afro-Eurasia, which has been in use since 1950.

Climate

Cape Chelyuskin has a tundra climate, which means it is very cold most of the time. No month gets warm enough for the temperature to stay above freezing. Winters last all year, but sometimes during the summer, temperatures can rise a little above average for short periods. Snow is common every month, even in the summer. The sun shines the most in April, but by the end of July or early August, the amount of sunshine starts to decrease.

Photo gallery

Here are some pictures of Cape Chelyuskin, the northernmost point of the Eurasian continent and mainland Russia.

Cape Chelyuskin, northernmost point of Russian and of Eurasian mainland; 77°43’22’’N, 104°15’13’’E

Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin

Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin

Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin

Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin

Polar station at Cape Chelyuskin