Between patriotic slogans and beautiful Orthodox churches, monuments and museums: a trip to Minsk, the city that never forgets its history and traditions
If Eastern European countries are your passion and you want a trip away from the crowds of the most popular capitals, don't miss a visit to Minsk, fascinating capital of Belarus. Despite being underestimated from a tourist point of view, the city and the entire surrounding area offer architecture, monuments and museums that will win you over with their beauty, history and culture.
The Belarusian capital is located exactly in the center of the country, of which with its almost 2 million inhabitants it is the main city of the country, and is made up of many small towns, such as Rudensk, Maculishi, Zaslavl' and Fanipol', no more of 15 thousand inhabitants each. In the historic center, called Cancer, there are all the most beautiful buildings in the city, the largest churches, a synagogue and the Jewish cemetery.
Not yet reached by mass tourism, Minsk has nevertheless been a destination for many tourists in recent years, attracted mainly by the historical significance of the city, devastated over time by various dominations, revolts and wars. A city where modern palaces and buildings are found, one next to the other, which still bear the signs of the long and troubled events of the past. And for those who want to retrace its history, specific features are also offered Turistic itineraries through the testimonies of the past.
The Lower City
The capital of Belarus is divided into two, the high City , low city. The lower part winds around the main street of the city, Nezavisimosti Avenue, Independence Avenue, 11 kilometers of asphalt to the railway station with Ploshchad Nezavisimosti. Along the avenue there are the famous University of Minsk, the government buildings and the beautiful church of Saints Simone and Elena, also known as the "Red Church" due to the characteristic reddish color of the external bricks. Continuing towards the north-east, then, the spectacular National Library, with a beautiful architecture that makes it look like a huge diamond.
In the southern area of the city, the bell towers of the most beautiful Catholic and Orthodox churches stand out: the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary, built around the 600th century in Baroque style, the Roman Catholic church of San Losif and the church of Saints Peter and Pavel. And then also the delightful Orthodox church of Mary Magdalene.
Still in the heart of the capital, you can visit some of the most interesting museums in the country: from Museum of Film History of Belarus al National Art Museum of Belarus, where in addition to the works of local artists you can admire the beautiful, finely furnished interiors. From the Belarusian National Museum of History and Culture al Museum of the Great Patriotic War, which shows the monstrosities of World War II and the subsequent destruction of Minsk.
Troitskoye Predmestie, il Trinity neighborhood, is the medieval district of Minsk and stands on a bend of the Svilac river. Here you can admire its large dome and the octagonal bell tower of the church of St. Mary Magdalene and, on the opposite side, Ostrov Slyoz, theIsland of Tears where the monument to the fallen in Afghanistan stands. It is precisely in this area that you will find most of the bars, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops most frequented by tourists.
In Victory Square you can immerse yourself in the most austere Belarus. A large and bare square, in perfect Soviet style, with a tall column in the center surmounted by the hammer and sickle, traditional symbols of communism. The square becomes more fascinating in the evening, when large outdoor fireplaces are lit to warm the atmosphere and the people who live there. Around the city, then, it is very easy to see patriotic slogans written in red and green, the colors of the Belarusian flag.
Don't miss, then, one of the symbols of the Belarusian capital Castello Pishchalauski, with an architecture similar to the great castles of Transylvania. Known as the Bastille Belarus, because it was originally created as a prison, where the writer Yakub Kolas was locked up for four years, you will not be able to visit the interior, because it is not in excellent condition, but you will be able to enjoy the beauty of this impressive structure right in the middle of the city.
The upper city
The upper part of the city houses many churches and monuments. Petropavlovskaya, the church of St. Peter and St. Paul it is the oldest in Minsk. It was built in 1612 and is adjacent to the oldest shopping center in the city! Not far away there is Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, with green roofs and its wonderful white facade, even more beautiful when seen illuminated in the evening hours.
And it's also worth a visit Monastery of San Bernardino, dating back to 1624, one of the few monuments of Minsk that have survived intact and today houses the State Archives. Absolutely unmissable in the neighborhood is the Monument to Fallen Jewish People on March 2, 1942, a memorial to the victims of Hitler's genocide, an impressive sculpture depicting the Jews close to the massacre along a staircase, in front of a plaque with flowers.
