Spring is in the air, more sunny days evoke the most positive emotions and impressions. Why not take a walk around Minsk and learn about the unknown (maybe not so much talked about) Minsk attractions? We decided to discover more interesting Minsk places and give our comprehensive coverage and view of the walking tours in a series of blog posts!

Minsk Sightseeing Tour Part 1

I welcome you at the beginning of our first virtual tour around Minsk places. The starting point of the itinerary will be the crossing of Pobediteley Avenue and Menlnikaite Street, the region of the city, where about a 100 years ago the Tatars resided, thus the part was called the Tatar Sloboda. However, the first place we are going to visit is connected with another nation, the Jews. The memorial sight "Yama" (the hole) is situated right on the place, where the Nazi shot 5000 Jews from Minsk Ghetto, including 200 children from an orphan house on the 2nd of March, 1942.

We'll return to the Ghetto tragedy later, when we get to Rakovskiy Trinity. And now we will go up to the Yubileinaya Square, which received its name in 1826 in the honour of 1500th anniversary of Vselenskiy Sobor that stated the symbols and dogmas of Christianity. It is surprising that during the Soviet times no one considered the name of the square politically incorrect. The Yubileynaya Square remains the only one that hasn't been renamed since the 19th century.

Then we take a turning to the Rakovskaya Street. Just a dozen steps further and we find ourselves at an old Trinity that appeared in the 11th century. The street had been famous for craftsmen who lived there, as well as several sinagogues that were open before the revolution. After the revolution these churches were turned into cinemas and a House of pioneers.

At the opposite side of the Rakovskaya Street we find the oldest bakery in Minsk that was launched in 1927. However, before the revolution people produced here not bread, but wallpapers that were in demand all over the Russian Empire.

At Vitebskaya Street, 10 you can have a unique opportunity to visit a traditional Belarusian restaurant and brew house called "Rakovskiy Brovar". This restaurant has been known since 1882 and was called the Festivity House. Here you can try several sorts of unfiltered (live) bear, as well as watch the process of its preparation, as the mini brewery is beside the glass wall.

Another "delicious" place famous for traditional Belarusian dishes is at a stones throw from "Rakavskiy Brovar" and is called "Talaka". The restaurant is designed in 17th century style and offers traditional cuisine, including draniki, kolduny, wild boar soup, moose meat with mushrooms, catfish barbecue, and many others. Let me finish the first part of our walking tour around Minsk with this yummy place!

Minsk Attractions Tour To be continued...