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| Minsk | ||
| Country | Belarus | |
|---|---|---|
| The search for a province ends with the state | ||
| Residents | 2.009.786 (2021) | |
| height | 280 m | |
| Tourist info web | minsktourism.by | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Minsk is the capital of Belarus and lies on the river Svislac. With its approx. 2.0 million inhabitants, it is the largest city in the country.
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Minsk is a city in the center of Belarus. It goes back to the 11th century. In the 13th century it came to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which concluded a union with the Kingdom of Poland in the 14th century. In 1499 it received it from the Polish-Lithuanian king Alexander I. the Magdeburg town charter, which also resided here for some time around the turn of the 16th century. The city experienced its heyday in the Baroque era, when it became the capital of the voivodeship of the same name in 1566 Polish-Lithuanian aristocratic republic was. Numerous baroque monasteries and churches were built and the magnates built their palaces in the city. The renaissance town hall dates back to 1582. The Crown Tribunal met regularly in Minsk in the 17th century. The Polish-Lithuanian King John II Casimir spent a lot of time here. In 1773 a university was established in Minsk, but in 1793 with the Second Polish division had to stop operating when Minsk came to the tsarist empire. In the Polish-Soviet War of 1919/1920 Minsk was hotly contested and changed nationality several times. With the Peace of Riga it came to Soviet Russia. After the destruction in World War II, the old town is slowly being rebuilt to this day. The city, which was home to Poles, Lithuanians, Belarusians, Germans, Jews and Tatars, has lost its multicultural character today. For some years now, however, the former baroque buildings have been reconstructed, including some baroque churches and the town hall.
getting there
For stays of up to 30 days, travelers from 74 countries, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, no longer need a visa since July 27, 2018 when entering and leaving only via Minsk Airport. Registration with the authorities is required for stays of five days or more. There is a fee for entering and leaving Belarus via a border crossing other than Minsk Airport visa required.
By plane
Commercial flight operations at the airport near the city Minsk-1 was finally discontinued in December 2015.
- The 1 National Airport (formerly Minsk-2) (IATA: MSQ) (Train: from Minsk-Passazhirskiy, 5 daily, 1 hour, approx. € 1.Buses: 300Э (from Tsentralnyi; 24 hours), 173Э (from Sokol micro-district), shuttle 1400-TK (from Tsentralnyi), 1430-TK (from Tsentralnyi via Metro Mogilevskaya, only 4 times a day.).
is about 42 km east of Minsk and is z. B. from the Belarusian airline Belavia, Turkish Airlines or the Lufthansa approached (Overview map). For most Europeans, a visa is normally no longer necessary for arrivals and departures via the airport for a stay of up to 30 days. If necessary, a visa can be obtained upon entry for three times the price applied for in advance, but citizens of numerous non-EU countries must have documents sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (information ☎ 375 17 279 20 58) 3-5 business days before arrival. You should plan enough time for the slow security clearance before departure. The bus stops (at exit 3/4) are poorly signposted and difficult to find. Taxi drivers charge € 30 to / from the airport. The journey on the M2 by car is subject to a toll.
By train
- 2 Minsk Pasažyrski, pl. Pryvakzaĺnaja, 3; 220050 Minsk, (Pl.Lenina metro station, approx. 200 m. Tram 1, 2, 4, 7, stop Вокзал). Tel.: 375 17 225 70 00 (24-hour information. Reservations: 105). the main station is a modern building with a large glass facade. Tickets for trips abroad are available in a smaller separate building to the right of the train station. Driving times are 4 hours behind Vilnius (partly further after Koenigsberg), 9½ hours after Warsaw, 11½ hours after Riga (only one night train) and one train a day to Ukraine Kiev (10 h), Odessa (12 h) and Kherson (Херсо́н; 12 h).
There are several trains to Moscow every day. However, since there are no regular border controls at the land border between Belarus and Russia, these border crossings are only open to Russian and Belarusian citizens.[1]
Tickets for destinations within Belarus are sold at counters on the ground floor of the main building. On the upper floors there is a waiting area with seats, a café as well as stalls and food stands. Toilets, access to the metro and luggage storage are in the basement.
The Lockers for the luggage work as follows: first you pay the fee due at a cash register and are given two small coins. After the luggage has been stowed in a free compartment, a code is selected from the four rotary switches on the inside wall of the door, with which the compartment can be opened again later. The first digit of the code is a Cyrillic letter, the remaining three each one of the digits from 0-9. Once the code has been selected, you close the door and insert one of the two coins into the slot provided - this locks the door. In order to open the luggage compartment again, the code must now be entered again on the rotary switches on the outside and then the second coin must be inserted!
By bus
The central bus station (Tsentralnyi / Centraĺny; автовокзал "Центральный") is located a little south of the main train station in the vulitsa Babruyskaya and is used e.g. by the German touring approached. Minsk can also be easily reached from Vilnius, the journey takes about 3 hours. It is practical that the bus simply drives past the (extremely long) queue at the border. With the right documents (i.e. the visa in your passport), crossing the border takes about 30 minutes for a full bus. The one-way trip costs around € 12 in 2012, Luxepress goes directly to the main station. From here you can actually get everywhere by taxi and metro.
In the street
About five kilometers away there is a ring road around Minsk from which the (toll) Branch off highways into the whole country.
mobility
Since all station names in the subway and all street signs in Minsk are in Cyrillic, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet and the transcription of the individual letters! (See in PhraseBook Russian.)
The city has a dense network of trams, buses, trolleybuses and a metro with two lines; the easiest way is to take the metro (runs from 5.30 a.m. to 1 a.m.), with which the main sights and the train station can be reached. A one-way trip costs 4500 BYR (as of December 2014), regardless of the distance traveled. Change from line 1 Maskouskaya (blue) in line 2 Autazavadzkaja (red) and vice versa is possible at Kastrychnitskaya / Kupalauskaja station. A third line is in planning / construction.
taxiPrices are negotiable, despite the existing taximeter, without language skills you will pay significantly more than locals.
Tourist Attractions
Americans in particular like to visit the apartment of Lee Harvey Oswald, the Kennedy assassin, who from 1960 was on the ground floor to the left of the vulitsa Kamunistychnaja 4 lived.
Old and inner city
- The old town (Metro: Niamiha), the former so-called "Upper Town" (Russian Верхний горoд) around the Orthodox, are particularly worth seeing in Minsk 1 Holy Spirit Cathedral (Кафедральны сабор Сашэсця Святога Духа), Kirila i Mefodiya 3. Built from 1642-87 in the baroque style as a Cistercian monastery. The worth seeing lies diagonally across the street Kliaštar biernardzinaŭ..
- At the beginning of the street is the Catholic one 2 St. Joseph's Cathedral, Kirila i Mefodiya 4. About 100m to the south you get to the town hall, rebuilt according to historical plans, with a small park next to it.
- Through this one comes to 3 Marienkirche, vulica Revaliucyjnaja 9.
- Past the French embassy, around the corner to the left is the 4 City Museum (Muzeum historii Mińska), vulica Revaliucyjnaja 10. Tel.: 375 17 321-24-30. Open: 11 am-7pm.
- From the town hall about 200m to the east you can see it 5 Palace of the Republic, Kastryčnickaja plošča 1. Tel.: 375 17 229-92-01. In addition to a small and large concert hall, there is an art gallery, a bank branch and a hairdresser. Nearby are the Union Palace of Culture (Palac kuĺtury prafsajuzaŭ) and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War ("House of Officers" vulica Čyrvonaarmiejskaja 3).Open: mostly classical concerts after 6pm.
- About the vulica Internacyjanaĺnaja back Ri. North you get to the Wańkowicz House, vulica internacyjanaĺnaja 33А. Tel.: 375 17 327-88-78. Further up the Internacyjanaĺnaja there is a larger park in the bend of the river. There is the state.
- Yanka Kupala Literature Museum, Vulitsa Yanki Kupaly, 4. Tel.: 375 17 227-78-66. The park named after the Belarusian national poet, publicist, playwright and translator Yanka Kupala (= Iwan Daminikawitsch Luzewitsch; Янка Купала) was named, extends along the shore. Across the river, it continues to the south-east as Gorky Park. There is a planetarium and a ferris wheel.
- * On the other side across the river, also in a park, stands the colossal building of the 6 Bolshoi Opera, Parizhskoi Komunny 1 (Metro Niamiha). Tickets for the ballet are sold at the right box office and tickets for the opera at the left box office.Open: Ticket office: 11: 30-15: 00, 16: 00-20: 00.
Below the old town, directly on the banks of the Svislac, is the Traezkae-Vorstadt (German: Trinity suburb, a reconstructed old-town quarter from the 19th century). This quarter was preceded by the artificial one 7 Island of tears A memorial in the form of a small chapel was erected in Svislac, dedicated to the victims of the war in Afghanistan.
In 2006, with government support, the Memorial Church of All Saints was completed, a national memorial for all fallen Belarusian soldiers and civilians of the Napoleonic Russian campaign in 1812.
Churches
- St Peter & Paul Cathedral, Rakovskaya 4. The Orthodox Cathedral was built in 1613 and is the oldest church in the city.
- Cathedral of the Name of the Virgin. The Episcopal Church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Minsk-Mahiljou is located on today's Freedom Square in the Upper Town.
Monuments
- Monument of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. * 1954, on Victory Square, in front of the memorial the eternal flame, in the room below the names of the heroes.
- Obelisk of the Hero City of Minsk. * 1985, huge memorial for the hero city of Minsk in World War II.
- Lenin monument at the 8 Independence Square (Plošča Niezaliežnasci) (Metro Plošča Lienina). which is surrounded by government buildings in the finest colossal Soviet style. On the north-eastern edge is the Church of Saint Simon and Saint Helena.
- In practical proximity to the center of power is that 9 jail. Open: closed 24 hours a day, for most occupants.
- Monument to the partisans of Belarus. Built in 2005 for the partisans in World War II.
Museums
- 10 National Art Museum, Lenina 20. Tel.: 375 17 327-71-63. The largest art collection in Belarus.Open: 11 am-7pm.
- National Museum of the History of the Republic of Belarus, Karla Marxa 12.
- 11 National Library, прасп. Незалежнасці 116. Tel.: 375 17 266-37-37. In addition to books, there are two restaurants and a fitness studio including a sauna (closed on Sundays). Even during the construction phase, the National Library became a symbol of Minsk and became a national identification symbol.Open: 10.00-21.00.
- 12 BelEXPO exhibition center, pr. Pieramožcaŭ 14. between the "Palace of Independence" and the "National Flag Square".
Streets and squares
- Praspect Francysca Skaryny. The “boulevard” of Minsk, which stretches almost across the city. In between officially to praspekt Nezalezhnastsi (soot.: pr. Nezavisimosti, "Independence Avenue") renamed.
- Dziaržynskaha. The Dziaržynskaha is named after the city's most important son, Felix Dzerzhinsky (1877–1926).
Parks
- 13 Botanical Garden, вул. Сурганава 2в, г. (Metro Park Čaliuskincaŭ). Tel.: 375 17 284-14-84. One of the oldest botanical institutions in Belarus.
- Victory Park. The largest park in Minsk, one of the favorite places of Minsk residents.
- Zoo (Зоопарк), vulica Taškienckaja 40. Tel.: 375 17 345-32-65. he zoo in Minsk does not offer any unusual animal species, but it is still worth seeing. Over 800 animals can be seen in the 42 hectare garden.Open: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. / 8 p.m.
activities
- 14 Dreamland Amusement Park, vulitsa Arlowskaya 80. i.a. with outdoor adventure pool.
shop
The sale of beer and schnapps is not officially permitted after 11 p.m., but wine is available. The minimum age for buying / serving alcohol is 18.
- GUM department store, praspect Francysca Skaryny 21.
- Na Nemige shopping center, vulitsa Njamiha 8 (metro station: Njamiha).
- CD loading, in the underpass praspect Francysca Skaryny corner Lenina. Large selection.
Eat Drink
Cheap
- Cafe Beze, praspect Francysca Skaryny 18. Here you can take a leisurely coffee break and eat Belarusian-style cakes.
Upscale
- Krynitsa, Lenina 2. The head waiter and the chef speak German.
- Taj. Indian restaurant. Certainly not cheap by Belarusian standards, but if you are looking for very good Indian food, you will find it here. The staff speaks (partly) English and there is also an English menu.Price: food for 2 people including drinks approx. 45 €.
- 1 Čajnoe sostojanie ("tea condition"), ul.Maksima Bogdanoviča 9 (About 200 m behind the Bolshoi.). There is very good tea in a quiet and cozy atmosphere - with a tea ceremony! Not exactly cheap, but if you want to treat yourself to a bit of rest, a really good place.
- Tovarišč, ul.Ya.Kupaly, 21. What is absolutely not possible is the café / bar (actually more of a restaurant). High prices in rooms that are supposed to look somehow “Soviet”, but are ultimately just a kind of luxury Soviet pornography. Expensive, uncomfortable, annoying screens everywhere, brrr…. But if you want to see members of the tasteless upper class, or people who would like to be part of it, this is the right place. Well, admittedly, the food is ok.Open: 8 a.m. - midnight.
nightlife
Theater, opera, ballet, see above "Old and Inner City:" Palace of the Republic and Bolshoi. The prices for good quality performances are surprisingly low.
Of "Clubs,“As a tourist who is unfamiliar with the language and who is traveling alone, you should stay away from animation ladies as much as possible, in order to avoid being served an inappropriately high bill, which broad-shouldered gentlemen definitely demand.
There are almost thirty licensed ones Casinos in Minsk.
- Club Alkatraz, Skoriny 25. Open: restaurant: 12 p.m. - 6 a.m., disco: 10 p.m. - 6 a.m.
Upscale
- Madison Club, Timiryazeva 9. Western-style disco, due to the high admission prices (30,000 BYR), only the really rich Belarusians will find admission here! The drinks are relatively cheap.
Culture
- circus, Skoriny 32 (metro station: Kastrycnickaja). Your own adrenaline level rises when the artists work on the high wire without safety or the lions come in - but no safety net is lowered. Definitely a great experience that is well worth seeing. The current program can be found on the homepage http://www.circus-minsk.com.
accommodation
Cheap
As in many former Soviet cities, numerous owners of converted apartments claim to be operators of “hostels”. These offers can vary in quality.
medium
Upscale
- 1 Manastyrski, Kirila i Mefodiya 6 (Right behind the Holy Spirit Cathedral.). Tel.: 375 17 329 03 00. Price: US $ 82-144.
security
See the general information for Belarus.
Emergency calls: Fire department ☎ 101, police ☎ 102, emergency doctor ☎ 103, gas station ☎ 104.
health
Avoid tap water, forest fruits and game (radioactivity!).
Practical advice
Theoretically, minors are not allowed to be alone in public after 11 p.m. The consumption of alcohol in public is also officially prohibited by law.
trips
- Zaslawye (Заслаўе). A good twenty kilometers to the north, a small town with excavations of a settlement from the 10th-12th centuries. Century and the "Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior" (Церковь Спасо-Преображенская). Accessible by train on the Minsk-Maladziechna.
literature
- Map: Minsk: Respublika Belarus' plan goroda; 2014 (RUP Belkartografija), city 1: 27000, region 1: 10000, street and place names, in kyrill. font
