Independence Square

If outcomes of roads are thought up for unloading of streets, then the area – for «unloading» and rest of people. One of them – Independence Square. Having taken a place of honor in the downtown, it collected around itself a set of sights: the most beautiful church of Minsk and the oldest university, government buildings and the biggest monument to Lenin in the former Soviet Union. The modern landscape was added by lawns of greens and fountains, cozy shops and glass domes of the three-storyed shallow city – Shopping Center «Stolitsa».

In 1934, on the project of the remarkable architect from Leningrad Iosif Langbard, in Minsk the first element of future area appeared: ensemble of the Government house. At the same time Iosif designed also Lenin Square (so it then was called). Exactly here planned to create the public downtown and to connect it with the area near the station.

Initially the Lenin Square was rectangular. In a northern part it the ground square, in an open part before the government house – parking was located. The area found modern look during the post-war period.

In 1991 it was renamed into Independence Square. Reconstruction process began. The chief architect of the project Mikhail Gaufeld, owing to the talent, changed the image of the square. It was decorated by the land pedestrian zone with fountains, sculptural compositions and greens. Under the area three levels of shopping mall with a parking on 500 places – Stolitsa shopping Center settled down.

Educational institutions became an integral part of Independence Square also: the oldest HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION Belarusian state university and Belarusian state university of Maxim Tank. Here also the biggest monument to Lenin in the territory of the CIS settled down. And also Minsk hotel, Church of Saints Simeon and Elena and many other sights. They as witnesses of different eras, keep memory and remind us of history of the left years. –shopping Center «Stolitsa».