MinskCapital
Belarus · Country profile
Minsk is the wide, monumental capital of Belarus, the green and ordered city of the eastern European plain that spreads its enormous avenues, its park-lined riverside, its Soviet-era palaces and its modernist towers across the gentle hills of the Svislach valley. Almost entirely rebuilt after the near-total destruction of the Second World War, the capital became the model post-war Soviet city, its broad ceremonial boulevards, its vast squares, its imposing government ensembles and its residential quarters laid out on the grand scale, and it retains that ordered, monumental character as the independent capital of the republic. The square of the independence, the great cathedral quarter, the museums of the country and the leafy riverside parks anchor the essential visits, while the metro, the theatres and the cafes of the city run the everyday life of the town. Spacious, solemn and deeply green, Minsk is the dignified, well-kept heart of the young Belarusian state.
About Minsk
Minsk is the capital of Belarus. The city's documented population is around 1,995,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Belarusian Ruble (BYN) and Belarusian and Russian are spoken; the dialling code is +375.
The Squares and the Obelisks of the Monumental City
Minsk is a grand, walkable city where the essential circuit moves between the square of the independence, the riverside parks and the museums of the centre, with the monumental avenues and the metro of the town distributing the civic life. The great squares of the capital, from the independence square with its immense university and its church to the victory square with its towering obelisk, anchor the monumental character of the city, and the museums of the great patriotic war and the national arts carry its deep history. The river paths, the parks and the churches of the old town, and the lively food districts and the galleries of the centre, complete the dignified, orderly rhythm of the Eastern European capital.
The Upper Town and the Churches of the Old Quarter
The climate of the capital is heavily continental, with the cold, snowy winters, the brief, bright spring, the warm, green summer and the golden autumns, each season giving the city and its parks their own character. The ruble of the country is the currency, with the Russian and the Belarusian the languages of the town and some English in the official districts. The centre, the riverside and the museum circuit make the core visits, and the metro of the city runs the efficient movement of the town. Warm layers for the cold seasons, comfortable shoes for walking and modest dress for the churches complete the simple preparation for the northern capital.
The Rivers and the Parks of the Green Capital
The upper town of the capital, the old historic quarter of the corner synagogues, the converted monasteries and the splendid churches that survived the century, preserves the pre-Soviet world of the city, anchored by the gilded dome of the cathedral of the Holy Spirit and the reconstructed town hall of the square. The museum of the great patriotic war, the colossal modern museum of the country with its fourteen galleries of the wartime story and its monumental interior, is one of the great war museums of the world, while the square of the independence, with its central obelisk and its underground shopping mall, forms the great ceremonial heart of the capital. The riverside paths of the Svislach, the island of tears memorial and the shady parks of the centre give the whole city its serene, ordered and deeply green character.
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- Country
- Belarus
- Population
- 1,995,000
- Capital
- Minsk
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Belarusian Ruble (BYN)
- Languages
- Belarusian, Russian
- Calling code
- +375
- Country code
- BY
Frequently asked questions
Is Minsk the capital of Belarus?
Yes — Minsk is the capital of Belarus.
What currency do I need in Minsk?
The local currency is the Belarusian Ruble (BYN). Languages spoken in Belarus include Belarusian and Russian.
What is the dialling code for Belarus?
The international dialling code for Belarus is +375.
Flying out of Minsk? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.