Minsk is a unique city, which over the past 100 years has radically changed in its architecture, somewhere for the better, and somewhere rather controversial. Therefore look at old photos iconic places and streets Minsk at least it’s interesting, but to compare how it was and how it turned out, I added current photographs taken from almost the same angles.
“Red” church was often captured by photographers both 100 years ago and today. The architecture of one of the main Catholic churches in the capital has remained unchanged, but the buildings around it have changed quite a lot.
Another famous Catholic church in Minsk, Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary, has also survived to this day, but it has been affected by the most dramatic changes. In 1951, the building was rebuilt into a sports complex, and this historical object was restored in the 90s.
A modern photo clearly shows that this complex has lost its curious tower; the construction dates back to the heyday of the Jesuit monastery (the tower was erected in 1750).
In a later photograph, post-war, but still before the reconstruction of the church, this tower can be seen dilapidated.
The angle also attracts attention. cold synagogue, which was located just between the modern building on Freedom Square 17 and the Nemiga 3 shopping center, this is what the place looks like now.
When talking about the sights and places of worship in the central part of Minsk, one cannot ignore the Upper Town. The bottom photo shows the rebuilt baroque Church of St. Joseph.
Nowadays, the object has been restored and houses the archive-museum of literature and art.
And here is an old postcard from the first half of the 20th century, which shows part of the Bernardine monastery, the rebuilt Church of St. Joseph, shopping arcades and Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit.
Same angle.
And here is a general view of the Upper Town, old Nemiga and the Svisloch River.
Modern perspective:
A curious view of Zybitskaya Street from the former Basilian monastery.
It is easy to compare the old and new photographs based on the Gostiny Dvor building, which survived the entire 20th century and was not destroyed.
Most of the streets in Minsk have changed their historical names, and some have been radically rebuilt; the photo below is just such an example - Kirova Street.
Finding a place and angle was quite problematic; the best landmark was the Svisloch River.
Walking along the river, along Yanka Kupala Street, one could cross the bridge into the Governor's Garden.
Today it is Gorky Park, and the wooden bridge has been replaced with a stone one. If you look closely at the house on Yanka Kupala Street 17, you will notice a certain similarity with the old building to which 3 floors were added.
And here is a postcard showing the entrance to Governor's Park.
Modern entrance to Gorky Park (same angle).
It is also interesting to look at how urban development has changed in the central part of Minsk. For example, a famous house on Myasnikova street 76, with perhaps one of the most beautiful balconies in the city.
At one time there was a Jewish women's school here, then the apartments were rented out. By the way, for several years this house lived the writer Yanka Mavr (Ivan Mikhailovich Fedorov).
Look at the photograph of the apartment building of Yadviga Kostrovitskaya, where the management of the Libavo-Romensky railway was located.
Private account of Uladzimer Likhadzedav
Slightly changed (the tower has disappeared), but still preserving the original architecture, the house stands in the same place, Kirova Street 11.
Of course, you can’t ignore Karl Marx Street, where there were and are many interesting objects. Here is an old postcard of the State Bank, I think you can easily find out what kind of institution operates here today.
That’s right – “National Museum of History and Culture of Belarus”, address: Karl Marx Street 11.
In 1916, next door to the bank, young girls studied at the Mariinsky Gymnasium. In the middle of the last century, another floor appeared next to this house at 29 Karl Marx Street, and students from the Faculty of Economics of BSU took the place of the high school students.
Let’s complete the selection of photographs of Minsk with an old postcard from 1916, which depicts buildings on Karl Marx Street 17-19, at that time the Literary and Artistic Society was located here.
Today, this house with an additional floor is partly occupied by offices, cafes and ordinary apartments.
If you liked the material, see what it looked like Grodno 100 years ago.
