Children's Railroad

This is a railway station building of the children's railroad. It's a narrow gauge railroad loop passing through one of Minsk parks. This railroad is fully operated by teenagers.

Passage In Blue And Yellow

Free parking, anyone?

This shot was taken far from the center of Minsk, next to the city's biggest marketplace ("Zhdanovichi"). If you don't want to pay for a parking lot, here is a place where you can leave your car for free.

Museum Of Samovars

Holocaust Memorial

This memorial is known as "The Death Pit". In 1942 Nazi killed 5000 Jews at this same place. The number of Minsk ghetto prisoners killed during WWII is about 100,000. The marble obelisk was built in 1947. It was USSR's first monument to Holocaust victims. The sculpture was added in 2000.

Bikers

These two guys where quicky manoeuvring among cars on the main street of Minsk - Nezalezhnasti avenue ("Independence avenue"). They were so fast!

Old Winding Stairs

I noticed this stairs in the backyard of the Palace of Arts. It looks so old I wouldn't risk going upstairs.

Ceiling

A nice ceiling in a shopping mall. It is too nice compared to the rest of the interior.

Church of Holy Trinity

A.k.a the Church of Saint Roh.

The present brick cathedral was built in the 60s of 19th century. During the post-WWII period it was used as a book depository, and the cemetery on Zolotaya Gorka (where the church is located) — the biggest and most famous catholic necropolis in the city — was destroyed. In 1976 the bulding was restored and partly repaired, then the chamber music hall of the philharmonic society was accommodated there. In 1991 the catholic church was renewed, and under the agreement with the philharmonic society the masses took place in it again. In 2006 the church was fully returned to believers.

Easter Orthodox Fair (Part 3)

Young bell ringer and a little girl (they look so much alike, I presume she is his sister).

This is the last photo from this event, I promise.

Easter Orthodox Fair (Part 2)

Easter Orthodox Fair

The 6th annual Easter Orthodox exhibition/fair opened today in Minsk. There're more than 80 participants from Belarus, Greece, Israel, Russia and Ukraine. Here one can see (and kiss) famous icons, listen to lections and participate in discussions on spiritual subjects, talk to priests, attend masterclasses on bell ringing and folk arts, buy books and souvenirs.

Moskovsky Bus Station

Observatory

Hydrometeorological observatory, built in 1934. This building definitely has balls!

Brand New Park

This picture was taken in a new park (created in 2006) in the eastern part of the city. Most of the trees are still so small that they can barely be seen in the photo. I think this DNA-like stucture symbolizes science.

Legendary Car

This is a famous Soviet car "Volga" GAZ-21. It was manufactured in 1956-1970 at Gorky Automobile Plant. This car model won the Grand Prix of the Brussels international car exhibition in 1958.

Department Store

This is one of the department stores located in the center of the city. The name of this store is "Na Nemige".

A View Through An Arc

A view through an arc towards Kozlova street. I liked the lighting of the building on the opposite side of the street, the tree shadows on the arc is a nice perk.

Train Ticket Office

I like the design of the ceiling.

Inside The Library

Some time ago I posted a photo of the National Library of Belarus and I was asked for a view inside the building.

A high-rise part of the structure (the "diamond") is the main stock-depository, so only the staff can get inside of it. A low part is the three- and four-storey capacity (the stylobata). Vestibules, reference-information area with general and reading catalogues of different types both for students and doctors of science as well as administrative and technical are accommodated here. Here is the view of the main vestibule.

P.S. The columns and the man to the right are actually standing upright. I had to shoot with wide angle from where I was standing.

Swan Feeding

I'd like to show you that Minsk is not only about Stalinist architecture to amaze visitors and citizens, or multiple blocks of flats built mainly in sixties-eighties to accommodate as many people as possible (Minsk has been almost completely ruined during the WWII).

The shot was taken in the nothern part of the city, at Tsnianskoe water reservoir.

Theme Day: Water

Yep, that's water. Bluish color on top and on the left is the sky reflection.

There are 178 blogs participating in this theme day:

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