MINSK

Minsk was first mentioned as "Menesk" in 1067. In the course of time Minsk has been ruled by many people, for a long time it was apart of the former Lithuania. Until 1793 it belonged to Poland but after the partition of the country it became a part of Russia which was ruled by tsars until 1917. The further fate of Minsk was closely connected with that of Russia, from the Second World War to Communism.With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1992 the Republic of Belarus got independent and Minsk became its capital.

Many historical buildings were irretrievably destroyed during the times of the USSR - parts of the historic district were completely pulled down in order to create space for Communist monuments and buildings. The remains of the historic district are, however, really worth seeing. The created contrast especially appeals to visitors.

Airport
The airport is situated about 40 km from the city centre. The quickest way to the city is going by taxi, costs about BYR 550,– per kilometer (all in all about € 7,-). Taxis wait in front of the terminals 5 and 6. Buses operate on one hour intervals, one journey costs about BYR 3500,– (about € 1,10). www.airport.by/index_eng.htm

Transport in the city
160 bus-, 10 tramway- and 2 metro lines cover the whole city. Single tickets are available for about € 0,20. Map of metro network: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Metro_Minsk.svg

The Old Town
Remains of the historic district are situated east of the river Swislatsch. Most of the 17th and 18th century buildings which survived Communism and the Second World War were rebuilt or at least renovated. Even though the Old Town is not really original, you should take a walk in the lanes, visit a cafe and watch the passing people.

Victory Square
Victory Square is one of the most important squares in Minsk. It is dedicated to the victory over fascism. Under the Victory Square's obelisk a commemorative flame burns, allegedly since 1954.

Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War
In this museum you can learn more about every day lives in the city during the Second World War and German occupying troops. One part is dedicated to the Jewish population, around 1900 about half of Minsk's inhabitants were Jews.
Skoriny 25, 10am-5pm, Sun closed, entry € 1,60

Jewish population in Minsk
At the beginning of the 19th century about half of Minsk's population were of Jewish origin. After the terror and crimes of the Nazis in the Second World War they only made up one percent of the city's population. The existing synagogue, where a school for rabbis was situated from 1805 to 1941, offers evidence for the former active Jewish life in the Belarusian capital. Besides the exhibition in the State Museum of the Great Patriotic War and the synagogue, the Jewish Culture Centre (Uralskaya 3) and the monument for Minsk's ghetto heroes bear witness to the once prospering Jewish life in Minsk.

The "old" Belarusian restaurants, however, concentrate on traditional kitchen in which breaded meat, refined and tasty sauces as well as mushrooms play a prominent role. All in all this results in a marvellous offering: outstanding and indigenous kitchen and international restaurants which become better and better. You should try both. Traditional dishes include: Hribnoy soup (mushroom soup), Hribnoy (made from pork and mushrooms) and Golubsty (stuffed cabbage leaf with different fillings). You can find many good restaurants around the big opera.

Pan Khmeliu
Pan Khmeliu is one of the most popular restaurants in Minsk. Here mainly indigenous specialities are served. The servings are that huge that even the most hungry of you will get well fed after many hours of shopping and sightseeing.
Internatsionalnaya 11, Tel.: 226 78 74, Noon-4am

Hotel Minsk
The best address of the Belarusian capital. Hotel Minsk was opened as the first 4-star hotel of the city in 2002. It is located in the city centre and from some of the rooms you can see the Independence Square.
Pr. Francyska Skaryny 11, Tel.: 209 90 80, double rooms from € 141,–, www.hotelminsk.by

Juravinka
Also one of the best and most exquisite hotels in Minsk.
Yanki Kupaly 25, Tel.: 206 69 00, double rooms from € 120,–, www.juravinka.by

Hotel Oktjabrysky
Remarkably cheaper than the other hotels but still very okay. It is situated behind the Presidential Palace.
Engels 13, Tel.: 222 32 89, double rooms from € 53,–

Yubileinaya Hotel
A 3-star hotel in the heart of the city. Its rooms are not that fashionably furnished but okay as regards the price.
Pobediteley 19, Tel.: 226 90 24, double rooms from € 47,–, www.hotelyubileiny.by

Sputnik
Small, cheap, sufficiently equipped and centrally located.
Vul Brilevskaya 2, Tel.: 229 36 19, double rooms from € 31,–

When you go out in Minsk you will soon recognise the numerous seating possibilities in pubs and discotheques. It even seems as if Minsk's population is only able to enjoy themselves while seating. Sometimes there are also different entries depending on the fact if you want to have a seat or not. Try to fix the places you want to go to beforehand because the city is rather large and it might take you a long time to get from one end to the other until then your party mood might already be gone. Most clubs are opened until 5 o'clock in the morning.

Bronx
"Bronx" is probably the hottest and most popular club in the whole city. Here you nearly forget that you are in the capital of Belarus because you rather feel as if you were in a trendy club in New York. Famous Belarusian celebrities or DJs show up in this club. On Bronx's two dance floors people dance until the morning and drink to a fare-the-well.
Vul Varvasheni 17, Thu-Sat midnight-5am , Sun-Wed midnight-2am, entry up to € 13,–, www.bronx.by

Prospekt Nezavisimosti is Minsk's major shopping street which extends 4 km to the north-eastern direction. Along this street you find most of the shops as well as the city's biggest shopping centres e.g.: Gum and Tsum.
If you are, however, more into markets you should go to Dinamo Stadion. Here Dinamo Market is situated where you can buy numerous "little somethings" and souvenirs. Meat, fresh fruits and other odds and ends are available in Komarovskij rynok market hall (Ulitsa Very Horuzhej 8).

In some of the smaller shops the process of paying from communist times is still used. First you choose an article then you get a receipt which you later exchange for the chosen article. If you also want to experience such a trade you will have to be fast because such "deals" are becoming less frequent.

Carved wood dolls, so-called Matryoshkas, are popular souvenirs. Besides there are icons, printed T-shirts or baseball caps as well as lovingly decorated handicrafts.

You find a large variety of souvenirs in the mentioned shopping centres GUM and Tsum in the street Prospekt Nezavisimosti and furthermore there are shops which are specialised in souvenirs. Such a shop is Suvenirnaja Lavka (Maxima Bahdanovicha 9) where you can buy everything from folk music to vodka or Galereya Mastatstva (Nezavisimosti 12) which mainly sells handmade handicrafts.

Belarusian costumes and wooden products are available at Pavlinka (Skoriny 19).