Top 20 sights to see in the center of Minsk

As a spatial reference point, we chose the Galleria Minsk shopping and entertainment center, which is known to residents and visitors of the city and around which all the locations are concentrated.

Here, at 9 Pobediteley Avenue, you can do some shopping, grab a refreshing lemonade at the food court on the 6th floor, or refresh yourself before an eventful walk. And you also can have a look at the city from above standing on the terrace of the same food court.

By the way, the Galleria Minsk shopping center is unique in itself. There is no other building like this in the world. Its façade was created by the Latvian architect Uigis Zabers. He based the design on the image of an elegant and shining treasure box. The glass façade of Galleria Minsk consists of 3,600 glass plates, each of which is hand-made and equipped with LED lighting. They create a wave effect and beautifully refract the sun's rays. And when it gets dark, the building is lighted over its whole surface.

1. Trinity Suburb

Directly opposite the Galleria Minsk shopping center, on the other bank of the Svisloch, there is an atmospheric old town with quiet streets and houses with tiled roofs. You've probably seen it on postcards and souvenirs from Belarus. In ancient times, the Trinity Suburb was a trade and administrative center. Nowadays, a significant part of Minsk’s cultural monuments are located in its courtyards. Here you can see 19th century stone buildings, take a stroll and slow down a bit. You can also stay in a hostel or hotel here, and come for breakfast in the morning at the Galleria Minsk shopping center.

Photo by Yulia Kardash

2. Museum of Theatrical and Musical Culture "Living Room of Vladislav Golubok"

When you stroll through Trinity Suburb, be sure to stop by Living Room of Vladislav Golubok. He was the first Honored Artist of the BSSR and founded the People's Theater. The museum contains photographs and documents related to the life and work of this talented decorative artist, actor, director and playwright. Here you can watch a performance by the traditional Belarusian theatre "Batleyki". Living Room of Vladislav Golubok is open every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Address: 14 Starovilenskaya St.

Web-site: https://www.instagram.com/museum_vladislav.golubok/

Photo by Yulia Kardash, bgam.by

3. Maksim Bahdanovič Literary Museum

The next location is again in the same Trinity Suburb. The literary museum of the Belarusian poet Maksim Bahdanovič is located in a 19th-century building with wrought-iron railings and balcony grids.

The museum was opened on the 100th anniversary of the poet’s birthday in December 1991. Here you can hang out for a long time, looking at the exhibits. The museum's core collection counts more than 14 thousand items. And the museum offers a nice bonus for those who will visit it on the last Wednesday of any month – free entrance. The museum is open from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, closed on Monday.

Address: 7a Bogdanovicha Street

Web-site: http://bagdanovich.museum.by/

Photo by Yulia Kardash, Yandex Maps (Angelina Petrik)

4. Second-hand bookstore "Vyanok"

If after visiting the Maxim Bahdanovič Museum you want to continue with literature, we suggest you go to the second-hand bookstore “Vyanok”. It is a place with a special atmosphere and a thick, pleasant smell of books. It is located in a pink house in Trinity Suburb on the banks of the Svisloch River. All you have to do is wander among the shelves and look closely at the colorful spines of the books and you will find real treasures at ridiculously low prices. The store is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, closed on Monday.

Address: 4 Troitskaya naberezhnaya

Photo by Yulia Kardash, 34travel.me

5. Minsk City Hall

The history of the town hall is connected with the Magdeburg Right granted to the city in 1499. The city self-governing body was located here. The court and archives were also located here, and the symbols of the city were kept. In 1857, the town hall was demolished and in 2002-2004 it was rebuilt based on images on the place where it located in the 19th century. Today the town hall combines the functions of an administrative building and a museum. Here you can get to know the history of Minsk better, and see unique photographs and documents related to the establishment of the city at the exhibition. The Town Hall building is open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Address: 2a Svobody Square

Web-site: https://www.minskmuseum.by/minskaya-gorodskaya-ratusha

Photo by Yulia Kardash, minskmuseum.by

6. Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery

If you cross the road and go a little to the right of the town hall, you will find yourself in the Gallery of the Belarusian artist Mikhail Savitsky. It seemed to be a little hidden from the city's hustle and bustle in the depths of the courtyard, away from the road. This historic building has been known since the 18th century, when it belonged to the noble family of Pshezdetsky. Afterwards, the estate was owned by several more influential people of Minsk. In 1881 the building was damaged by a major city fire and was later restored. From 1944 until the end of the 20th century, the Minsk Regional Military Commissariat was located here. And after being restored, the Mikhail Savitsky Gallery opened in the building at 15 Svobody Square in 2012. During the Second World War he was taken prisoner and even sentenced to death, but he managed to escape it, and the artist lived a long and eventful life. The gallery exhibits a series of works by Mikhail Savitsky. On the last Wednesday of the month, the gallery can be visited for free. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday and Tuesday are days off.

Address: 15 Svobody Square

Web-site: https://www.minskmuseum.by/khudozhestvennaya-galereya-mikhaila-savitskogo

Photo by wikipedia.org, fotobel.by

7. Arch-Cathedral Church of the Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

If you get a little tired after walking around cultural and historical places, you can go to the Arch-Cathedral Church of the Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is located a little to the left of the Savitsky Gallery. This is the main Catholic church in Minsk. The cathedral was built in the Vilna Baroque style. It stands in the same row with laconic administrative buildings and stands out among them for its decor, bell towers and columns. When the doors of the cathedral are open, you can go into the cool room, sit on a bench and spend a little time in silence.

Address: 9 Svobody Square

Photo by Yulia Kardash

8. Holy Spirit Cathedral

The main Orthodox church of Belarus is located nearby. This is one of the main attractions of the Upper Town. The cathedral contains valuable icons from the Moscow academic school. But the most famous relic is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which was acquired back in 1500 and named Minsk icon of the Mother of God.

Address: 3 Cyril and Methodius St.

Photo by Yulia Kardash, sobor.minsk.by

9. Gostiny Dvor

We recommend to continue your walk by visiting Gostiny Dvor, which is located slightly to the right of the cathedral. It is a complex of historic buildings from the 18th to early 20th centuries. In the mid-16th century this was the main market square. Today these buildings house restaurants, cafes, boutiques and administrative offices.

Address: 2-10 Svobody Square

Photo by Yulia Kardash

10. Minsk Horse Tram Museum

The permanent exhibition is located in the Upper Town in a 20th century heritage-listed building in a former Bernardine monastery. Here you will learn the history how public transport was formed and developed in Minsk. Visitors can expect a virtual tour in a horse-drawn carriage, an introduction to the shop windows popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, a fragment of the office of the Minsk Horse Railway Administration, and many interesting household items from that time. The museum is open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:30 pm.

Address: 6a Cyril and Methodius St.

Web-site:https://www.minskmuseum.by/minskaya-konka

Photo by Yulia Kardash, minskmuseum.by

11. Archaeological Museum "Upper Town"

The museum building is located very close to the Minsk Horse Tram Museum in a former Bernardine monastery. In 2007, archaeological excavations took place here, as a result the building arches were found. The exhibition preserved these elements, as well as the features of the terrain. In the 12th-13th centuries, this part of the city was a trading and craft settlement. Therefore, part of the exhibition is devoted to household and trade items of that time and demonstrates the life of the townspeople and their main occupations. Here, a bazaar, a pottery store, and a shoemaker's workshop have been recreated. The museum offers a guided tour entitled “The History of Minsk in the 11th-19th Centuries: Artifacts from Excavations.” The Archaeological Museum "Upper Town" is open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:30 pm.

Address: 6 Cyril and Methodius St.

Web-site: https://www.minskmuseum.by/arkheologicheskij-muzej

Photo by minskmuseum.by

12. Cat Museum

This is the cutest location of our selection. Real cats live here indeed. Once homeless, they are now in a place where they are loved. After pet boarding and a veterinary examination, they are taken to the Cat Museum, where they are put into the right hands. Here you can chat with the friendly inhabitants of this place, enjoy tea and sweets in the "Cat Cafe", look at cat themed works of art a or draw a picture yourself. The Cat Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, closed on Mondays.

Address: 23 Internatsionalnaya St.

Web-site: https://catmuseum.by/

Photo by account.travel, @catmuseumby

13. Belarusian State Academy of Music

If you cross the road from the cutest location from our selection, turn right and walk straight ahead a bit, you will see the Academy of Music, one of the most photogenic places in the city center. The majestic classical style building with columns is reminiscent of Italian architecture. The Belarusian State Academy of Music was founded in 1932. It formed a national composer school, the founder of which was Professor Vasily Zolotarev, a student of N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. From the day it was founded to the present day, the Academy has maintained high standards of musical education.

Address: 30 Internatsionalnaya St.

Photo by Yulia Kardash

14. Krasny Dvor

Since we've started talking about posing and taking pictures, let's continue. To do this, we will go to the Krasny Dvor on Revolyutsionnaya Street. This cozy, bright and quiet place will definitely be remembered for its atmosphere. It was as if a small orchestra was hiding here from the eyes of strangers. This is also one of the most favorite photo locations among local residents.

Address: 7 Revolyutsionnaya St.

Photo by Ruslan Seredyuk, instagram.com

15. Museum of the Great Patriotic War History

The museum has 11 halls, the exhibits of which reflect the events before the start of the war, course of the war and victory. You can stay here for a long time to examine and explore all the details. And they were meticulously put together without delay since 1943. A group excursion can be booked by phone or online on the website. For children, we offer game-based excursions and quests. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm (ticket office and entrance for visitors open until 18:30), closed on Monday, and on pre-holiday days the ticket office opening hours are reduced by an hour, so before visiting it is better to check the information about opening hours on the museum's website.

Here, next to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War History, there is the Minsk Hero-City Obelisk. The architectural and sculptural complex was opened in 1985. An impressive 46-meter-high obelisk is located on a mound. The top of the monument is decorated with a star framed by an oak branch. Next to the obelisk stands a bronze statue with fanfares raised upwards, which is called Monument To Motherland.

Address: 8 Pobediteley Avenue

Web-site: https://www.warmuseum.by/

Photo by Sarazh Izmailov, tripadvisor.ru, bestbelarus.by

16. Victory Park

It is adjacent to two previous locations: the Museum of the Great Patriotic War and the Minsk Hero-City Obelisk. The park is large, spacious and green. There are plenty of benches to rest on, a sufficient number of street-food outlets, and a bike path that runs next to the pond. In the park you can take refuge from the heat among the trees on a hot day, and in the evening enjoy the sunset light and quiet peacefulness. There is even a mysterious island with paths, wooden platforms and benches. To sum it up, this is the perfect place if you are in the city in the summer but really want to feel like you are outside the city and in nature.

Address: Pobediteley Avenue

Photo by holiday.by, planetabelarus.by

17. Museum of Money

Next we go to the most party street in Minsk. But not to a bar or some other club, but... to a museum. In 2018, the Museum of Money was opened here based on the private collection of Andrey Misko. The exhibition contains only original coins and banknotes. For symbolic 5-10 Belarusian rubles (about $1.5 to $3), you can buy here an old banknote souvenir with “bunnies”, “bison”, “moose” or even Belarusian millions, which were in circulation before the previous denomination. Museum opening hours: from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, every day without days off.

Address: 6 Zybitskaya St.

Web-site: https://mgroshi.by/

Photo by strada.by, @mgroshi.by

18. Yanka Kupala Park and Museum of Yanka Kupala

The park is located on the right bank of the Svisloch River. It was founded in 1950. And in 1959, a literary museum was built in what used to be the house of the Belarusian poet and playwright Yanka Kupala. Its exhibition is dedicated to the life and work of Ivan Dominikovich Lutsevich – this is Kupala’s real name. Here you can see the poet’s manuscripts, books with autographs, photographs, documents, and household items associated with his life. The museum is open from Monday to Saturday from 09:45 am to 5:45 pm. On Thursday the museum is open until 8:30 pm.

Address: 4 Ya. Kupaly St.

Web-site: https://kupala-museum.by/

Photo by planetabelarus.by, @kupalamuseum

19. Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus

The majestic round building with columns and sculptures in the very center of the city is the opera and ballet theater, or, in other words, the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus. Its appearance on the city map is associated with the famous architect Joseph Langbard. In the 1930s, he proposed to create a grand palace. He took the image of a Roman amphitheater as a basis. The opening of the new building took place in 1939 with the premiere of Yevgeny Tikotsky’s opera “Mikhas Podgorny”. The theatre's repertoire now includes many great classics, and also hosts symphony concerts. There are also tours of the Bolshoi Theater, where you can learn about the architecture and history of the theatre, and visit the artists’ workshops and rehearsal rooms.

Address: 1 Parizhskoy Kommuny square

Web-site: https://bolshoibelarus.by/

Photo by Vitali Adutskevich, Vlad Borisevich

20. Museum of Miniatures

In the museum "Strana mini" you can visit not only the sights that are in the city center, but also those that are located at different ends of Belarus: from Nesvizh Castle to Brest Fortress! Here are presented 22 models of architectural and historic sites of the country. The museum is open every day from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. Before your visit, you can download an audio guide or get one for free at the ticket office. And if you love real-life communication and stories, then a guided tour is what you need.

Address: 25 Nezavisimosti Ave.

Web-site: https://belarusmini.by/

Photo by @belarusmini.by