It should be noted that the capital of Belarus today occupies one of the main places in the list of the most beautiful cities in the country. And this is despite the fact that very few historical monuments and sights have survived in Minsk, most of them were destroyed during the Second World War. And yet, many guests arriving here from different parts of the world note the extraordinary aura of the city, the benevolence of local residents and the almost absolute cleanliness of streets, squares, and squares.
Where to place the capital?
If you look at the map of Belarus, you can see that Minsk is located in the very center, or, as capital residents beautifully notice, in the very heart of the country. There were proposals to move the capital to one of the regional centers, namely Mogilev. Such conversations took place in the middle of the twentieth century, before the war. Some attempts were also made, in particular, the Government House was built in Mogilev following the example and model of the Minsk one.
Name secrets
There are several versions as to why the city has such a name, but there is no official one, so everyone chooses their favorite. For example, one legend says about the hero Menesk, who lived in these places and defended his homeland from enemies. One of the sights of Minsk is the monument to this original founder of the city.
Some historians put forward a version that initially the settlement was not formed here, but on the banks of the Menka River, 15 kilometers from the city. In their opinion, the name of the river was transformed into the name of the settlement.
The main avenue of the country
Independence Avenue, which is located in the center of Minsk and is considered the longest street in the Belarusian capital, really claims the title of the most important. The avenue crosses almost the entire city. The main official buildings are also located here, for example, the Government House, the Palace of the Republic, a monument to the classic of Belarusian literature Yakub Kolas, the National Academy of Sciences.
No old buildings have survived on the main avenue of Minsk - most of them were destroyed during the war, so at the end of the war it was decided to remove the dilapidated buildings, not to restore them, but to expand the avenue.
Independence Avenue has changed its name more than once over the years, but it remains the most favorite walking place for Minsk residents and guests of the city.
