The full horrors of World War II are highlighted here. There is a detailed model of a Nazi concentration camp that will make the hairs on the back of your neck rise. The camp was known as the Maly Trostenets death camp, the largest in Europe after Auschwitz and Maijdanek where over 200,000 died. It also has a large section devoted to the Belarusian Partisan resistance in Belarus. At the end of your tour you get to see a huge bust of V.I. Lenin. Be sure to check out the tanks and other military vehicles out behind the museum. It is possible to get the tour in English if you make a reservation.

First Congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers’’ Party Museum Skoriny 31a, tel. (+375-17) 236 68 47. Open 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Wed. Free admission. Founded in 1923, this museum was the site of the first, what became the Bolshevik Party, congress in 1898. The building was destroyed during World War II (1941-1945), but reconstructed in 1948. The Museum itself is not that large, but the implications of what took place there are.

The "red church" was built by a noble family in 1908-1910 upon the premature death of their two children. When the Bolsheviks came to power, the church became a cinema then a film studio, and later became a popular meeting place for the opposition in the 1980s. It adds an element of color to an otherwise gray city.

Worship services: 09:00, 19:00, Sat 10:00, 12:00, 19:00, Sun 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 19:00.

The seat of the Jewish community and a Rabbinical School between 1805 - 1941. The Jewish community used to be the majority in many of the large cities of Belarus. Today only a few remain.

Built in 1642 to serve Bernadine nuns, the convent’’s consecration was delayed for 40 years because of the Muscovite invasions. In 1741 the original structure was damaged by fire but later reconstructed. The convent was liquidated in 1852 and the building given to the Russian church for use as a monastery - but half a century later it was closed altogether by the Bolsheviks. Today after ongoing renovations, the church is a pleasant stop. If you have never seen a Russian Orthodox service, go in, be polite, and see what it is all about.

Evening services 18:00 except Mondays.

The Botanical Gardens are filled with flowers and plants from many different places. Truly a beautiful place.

Entrance on Skoriny opposite Kalinina Square

One of the biggest fairgrounds in Minsk, named after a famed Belarusian pilot; it is possible to rent remote-controlled planes to play with. To get there go to the metro stop of the same name.

Entrance on Skoriny