Minsk
Minsk is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administrative centre of Minsk Region and Minsk District. As of 2024, it has a population of about two million, making Minsk the 11th-most populous city in Europe. Minsk is one of the administrative capitals of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Some of the key events about Minsk
- 1067The first recorded mention of Minsk in historical chronicles
- 1499Minsk was granted Magdeburg rights, giving it self-governance
- 1793Minsk became the capital of Minsk Governorate within the Russian Empire
- 1919Minsk was proclaimed the capital of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic
- 1919Minsk was occupied by Polish forces during the Polish-Soviet War
- 1921The Belarusian State University was founded in Minsk
- 1929The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus was established in Minsk
- 1941Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Minsk during World War II
- 1941The Minsk Ghetto was established, leading to the deaths of thousands of Jews
- 1943Minsk was heavily bombed by Soviet aircraft, causing significant destruction
- 1952The Minsk Metro system began construction, improving urban transportation
- 1960The National Library of Belarus was opened, becoming a cultural landmark
- 1986Minsk was affected by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster
- 1991Minsk became the capital of the newly independent Republic of Belarus
- 1999A stampede at a metro station during a rock concert killed 53 people
- 2004Protests against the referendum to remove presidential term limits were violently suppressed
- 2010Post-election protests were met with a harsh crackdown by authorities
- 2011A terrorist attack in the Minsk Metro killed 15 people and injured over 200
- 2019Minsk successfully hosted the 2nd European Games, a major international sporting event
- 2020Mass protests following disputed presidential elections were met with violent repression
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.