Minsk is not only the capital of Belarus but also one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. There are a lot of ancient sights in the city which are widely visited by tourists. They include numerous churches, cathedrals, monasteries, chapels, and fortresses. One of the most interesting sights in Minsk is the Cathedral of Saint Virgin Mary. It is an amazingly beautiful building of baroque style. This Roman Catholic cathedral appeared in 1710 but was later destroyed and rebuilt. It used to be a church of the Jesuit monastery. Another outstanding landmark is the Minsk Town Hall. It was built in 1600 and is located in the central part of the city. It has once been the magistrate, court and the library. The building was destroyed in 1857 by order of Nicholas I. The idea of restoring it appeared in 1980. Today the Town Hall houses the exhibitions of the Minsk museum. The clock along with the city coat of arms is placed on the top of the tower. Next tourist attraction in Minsk is the Church of Holy Trinity. It is also called Saint Roch on the Golden Hill. It’s a Roman Catholic church, which dates back to the 15th century. It used to be a wooden church but now it’s made of white stone. The church was fully renovated in 1983. Saint Elisabeth Convent is another landmark of the city. It is a female Orthodox monastery on the outskirts of Minsk. At the moment it’s the only functioning monastery in the city. National Library of Belarus is also situated in Minsk. It has the third largest collection of books in Russian language. The building of the library has 22 floors and is built in the shape of a huge diamond.
