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Places of Interest in Minsk
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.  


Достопримечательности Минска
Минск – это не только столица Беларуси, но и один из самых красивых городов в Восточной Европе. В городе есть много древних достопримечательностей, которые широко посещаемы туристами. Они включают в себя многочисленные церкви, соборы, монастыри, часовни и крепости. Одной из самых интересных достопримечательностей Минска является Собор Пресвятой Девы Марии. Это удивительно красивое здание в стиле барокко. Этот католический собор появился в 1710 году, но впоследствии был разрушен и восстановлен. Раньше здесь была церковь монастыря иезуитов. Другая выдающаяся достопримечательность – это Минская Ратуша. Она была построена в 1600 году и расположена в центральной части города. Раньше здесь были магистрат, суд и библиотека. Здание было разрушено в 1857 году по приказу Николая I. Идея восстановления появилась в 1980 году. Сегодня в Ратуше проходят выставки Минского музея. На вершине башни размещаются часы и герб города. Следующая достопримечательность в Минске – это Церковь Святой Троицы. Её также называют Золотогорским Костёлом Святого Роха. Это римско-католическая церковь, которая относится к 15 веку. Раньше церковь была деревянной, но теперь она сделана из белого камня. Церковь была полностью отреставрирована в 1983 году. Свято-Елизаветинский Монастырь является ещё одной достопримечательностью города. Это женский православный монастырь на окраине Минска. На данный момент это единственный функционирующий монастырь в городе. Национальная библиотека Беларуси также находится в Минске. В ней содержится третья по величине коллекция книг на русском языке. Здание библиотеки имеет 22 этажа и построено в форме огромного бриллианта

Minsk 22.04.2011 My native city is Minsk. Here I was born and here I lived all my life. Minsk is the capital of the Republic of Belarus, its political, economic, cultural and scientific center. It is an ancient city and dates back to the 11th century. The main stages of its origin and development are rather typical of a large settlement in this country. It`s history has some specific features which distinguish it from many other similar cities and towns. There is one version of how it came into being. According to this the city was founded in the 11th century. The fact of its existence was first recorded in the chronicles in 1067 connection with the battle on the river Nemiga. In 1101 after Prince Vseslav`s death, the Principality of Polotsk was divided between his sons. Gleb Vseslavovich took propositionOf Minsk and made it the capital of an independent Principality. There are certain proofs that it was a flourishing commercial center located at the crossroads of the traditional trade rout from east to west and from north to south. The artisans and merchants traded their products for salt, iron, tin and other goods. The earliest trading took place on the right bank of the Svisloch. This, it s believed, gave rise to the name " Mensk" Ih the 14th century Minsk became part of the great duchy of Lithuania. In order to strengthen their hold on Russian soil, the Lithuanian princes united with the lords of Poland in 1569 and the next 200 years the Belarussian people were dominated by Poland and Lithuania. The city suffered from the armies of Napoleon in 1812 as well as from the Nazi occupationIn 1941. On the 5th of January 1919 the city of Minsk Became the capital of Soviet Belarussia. Minsk is situated on the river Svisloch and occupies an area of 200 square kilometers. Its population is about 2 million people. During the Great Patriotic War Minsk was destroyed by German invaders almost completely. Minsk lay in ruins. The people of Belarus rebuilt the city. Victory Square, the Eternal Flame at the monument commemorates soldiers, underground fighters, partisans who fell in the battles for freedom f our motherland. The names of many streets of the city commemorate many heroes. Minsk today is a leading economic center and one of major industrial cities in Belarus. It is a large machine-building center. The industrial enterprises of Minsk include: the Minsk Tractor Works, MinskComputer Works, Ball-Bearing Plant, Refrigerator Plant, Watch Factory, and others. Industrial enterprises produce tractors and automobiles, motorcycles and bicycles, TV sets, radio-sets, watches and refrigerators, electronic computers, textile, footwear, food and other goods. It is also a big traffic center with a large network of railways, roads, air lines and two Metro lines. The Minsk Metro is the newest and very beautiful. Each station has some associations with historical events of the country or reflects the peaceful efforts of the people. Minsk is also known as a city of science and students. There is the Academy of Sciences and 16 higher educational establishments there, the biggest of which are the University and the Polytechnic Academy. The city is noted for it`s variedInteresting cultural life. In Minsk there are 6 theaters, concert halls, a circus, dozens of cinemas, many places of culture, libraries, clubs. The most famous theaters are the Opera and Ballet theatre, the Yanka Kupala Theatre, the Gorky Russian Drama Theatre. Among the most interesting museums one can mention the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, the Art Museum and Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas Museums. The Art Museum is a real treasure-house of fine arts. Minsk is a city of sports. There are good recreation and sports facilities: tennis courts, playgrounds, swimming pools in various parts of the city. The main sports structures are: the Dynamo Stadium, the Palace of Sports and Water Sports Centre. Minsk is a hero city. It was honored with the title in 1974 for outstandingHeroism and courage during the Great Patriotic War. The citizens of Minsk are proud of their city. It is beautiful at any time of the year. Tourists are impressed by multi-storied buildings, the newly built area in the suburbs, by a lot of sights. Frantsysk Skarina Avenue extends for more than 10 kilometers. There is a magnificient view from the river Svislach.