Description of the attraction
Freedom Square is one of the central in Minsk. From the moment of its formation in the 16th century and until the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812 (the French, who captured Minsk, renamed it Napoleon Square), the square was called the Upper Market due to the fact that the main market and the largest shops were located here. During the Middle Ages, the magistrate, the main city authority, sat on the square in the town hall. The square was surrounded by temples of various confessions, the most noble families were awarded the right to reside. The kings of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth have stayed in the royal residence on the Square in different centuries, the Swedish king Charles XII, the French Marshal Davout, the Russian Tsar Peter I, most of the Russian emperors, and Hetman Mazepa have been here. The most important decisions were made in this part of the city until the 30s of the 20th century. In 1917, the square received its current name - Freedom Square, while continuing to remain the "heart" of the city: since 1919, the government of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic was located here. During the Second World War, the square was severely damaged, in connection with which it lost its political significance, being in "oblivion" literally until recently. Nowadays, the architectural appearance of the square is being recreated, a vivid example of this is the city hall, erected in accordance with ancient drawings.
