Minsk Photos

Minsk, Belarus

Hero Cities Monument

Monument to Hero Cities, located on Victory Square. Minsk is one of 13 Soviet cities that was given the distinction "Hero City" for the sacrifice it paid during the Soviet's Great Patriotic War with Fascist invaders.

Palace of the Republic

Minsk concert hall is actually home to two halls, the Grand Hall with 2500 seats, and the Small Hall with 500 seats. To learn more about concerts of the Presidential Orchestra and other performances, see the official website of the Palace of the Republic.

St. Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary in Minsk (1644-1652), was built by the Jesuits in the Baroque style of architecture. The cathedral is found in the old center of Minsk, Liberty Square (Ploshad Svobody).

Holy Spirit Cathedral

Built in the Vilnius Baroque style, the cathedral was originally a Catholic church serving Bernadine nuns. While the foundation was laid in 1642, Moscovite invasions delayed consecration 40 years. In 1852 the Bernadine convent was closed and converted into a Russian Orthodox monastery.  

Opera and Ballet Theater

National Academic Bolshoi Theater of Opera and Ballet was founded in 1933 on the basis of the Belarusian Opera and Ballet School. As of 1996 the Opera and Ballet Theater houses to two independent theaters, "the National Academic Bolshoi Ballet Theater" and "the National Academic Opera Theater".

Belarusian State Circus

Circus in Minsk is a must see for kids and adults alike. Situated on Nezavisimosty Prospekt, take the Minsk metro to Kupalovskaya and/or Oktybrskaya metro stations. For further information, see the official website of the Belarusian State Circus.

Minsk City Hall

Reconstructed in 2003 on the same spot where it stood from 1582 until 1851 before it was destroyed by fire. The City Hall, located in the historic "upper-city", was a symbol of the Magdeburg Right (a type of German municipal law) that was granted to the city in 1499.

National Library of Belarus

A modern twenty-five story building shaped like a diamond to symbolize material and spiritual values that are being kept inside. See the official website of the National Library of Belarus.

Minsk Sports Palace

The Minsk "Sports Palace" is home to Dynamo Minsk pro hockey team of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Railway Station Square

The square, known as "Prevokzalnaya Ploshad" in Russian, sits in view of the old Minsk terminal towers, a good example of the Stalinist architecture that is famous in various capitals of the old Soviet Union. Sometimes called the "City Gate", as they resemble a gate to passengers arriving to Minsk.

Passenger Train Station

The new Minsk passenger terminal, built 1991 to 2002, sits next door to Mink's old "City Gate" terminal (above). The new terminal is now one of the most modern train stations in the CIS.

Minsk Passenger Station

Photo from inside the new Minsk Vokzal.

Svisloch River, Minsk

Photo of the Svisloch River (also spelled Svislach), running through the historic Troitskoye Predmestye.

Troitskoye Predmestye

Historic Minsk neighborhood, Troitskoye Predmestye (Trinity suburb), dates back to the 12th century. Surviving World War II relatively intact, many of the wood structures (old homes of Minsk gentry), have been restored and is now a favorite destination of both visitors and residents.

Red Church, Minsk

St. Simon and Helena Church ("Red Church") is a Catholic church built 1908-1910 by a noble Belarusian family upon the premature death of their children (Simon and Helena). The Soviets turned the church into a cinema and film studio, before it was restored to a Catholic church in 1990.

Palace of Culture in Minsk

The Republican Trade Unions' Palace of Culture, designed by architect V. Ershov, is a 600 seat performing arts theater located on Oktyabrskaya Ploshad.

Island of Tears Memorial

Photo of chapel on the Island of Tears on the Svisloch River. Surrounding the base of the chapel are grieving mothers, sisters and widows of the young men who perished in the Soviet Union's 9 year war in Afghanistan (1979-1988). 

Minsk Botanical Garden

The Minsk Central Botanical Garden is home to roughly 9000 varieties of plants over an area of 96 hectares, making it one of the largest botanical gardens in Europe. To get there, take the Minsk Metro to Chelyuskintsev station. official website

Mikhailovsky Park

"Girl on a Bench" sculpture in Mikhailovsky Park.