General information about Minsk
Minsk is the political, cultural and economic center of the Belarusian state. Minsk area is 308 sq. km. The city is divided into 9 administrative districts. The population is 1728,9 thousand people. Time: Central European + 2 hours.
Geographical position
Minsk is located on the south-east slope of the Minsk Upland on the banks of the Svisloch River. Altitude within the city ranges from 184 to 280 meters. Minsk is a large transport center with several bus terminals, railway station, two airports (1 national) and a metro network, located at the intersection of strategic routes from West to East and from North to South, from Moscow to Warsaw and from Kiev to Vilnius.
Climate
The climate is temperate continental with significant influence of the Atlantic sea air. Summer is warm but not hot. The average daily temperature in July is +18oC. Winter is mild with frequent thaws; the average daily temperature in January is -6oC. However, there has been a clear trend towards an increase of temperature in the winter months in recent years.
Distances from Minsk to European capitals
Warsaw / Poland - 500 km
Vilnius / Lithuania - 185 km
Kiev / Ukraine - 565 km
Moscow / Russia - 720 km
Riga / Latvia - 470 km
Berlin / Germany - 1050 km
London / England - 2100 km
Paris / France - 2150 km
Milestones in History
Minsk is the city with a fairly ancient history. It was first mentioned in chronicles in 1067, when the joint forces of the Yaroslavich princes took possession of Minsk, and then in the Battle on the Nemiga River they defeated the forces of Vseslav Bryachislavich, prince of Polotsk. The origin of the city name is interpreted by historians in different ways. According to one legend, the name of the city founder was Menesk. Historical scholars believe that the city name comes either from the small river Menka, on which Minsk was founded, or from the Slavonic words «мена», «менять» («trade», «change»). Since the city was at the intersection of trade routes, where an exchange of goods took place. Later, in the XVII century, the word Mensk has been transformed into a modern form – Minsk under the influence of the Polish language. In 1499, Minsk received self-government under Magdeburg law. In 1974, Minsk was awarded the title of a hero city in commemoration of the merits of its inhabitants in the fight against fascism during the Second World War. Since 1991, Minsk has been the capital of the Republic of Belarus. The Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the government and parliament of the Republic of Belarus are currently located here.
Tourist Minsk
Minsk is a treasury of old churches and cathedrals. Despite the fact that the city was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War, now it is one of the most developed cities in eastern Europe. The rich cultural heritage, many attractions, well-developed modern infrastructure, temperate continental climate - all this makes the capital of Belarus an attractive place for tourism and recreation. We, in turn, are pleased to offer you the Minsk Hotel «Orbita» services to make your stay in Minsk as comfortable as possible.
Education
There are about 30 higher education institutions in Minsk, including the Belarusian State University, the Belarusian State Economic University, and the Minsk State Linguistic University. In addition, the city has more than 35 specialized secondary educational institutions, more than 100 general education schools, and more than 500 preschool institutions.
Culture
Minsk is known for its cultural component. There are 16 museums, including the National Art Museum, the Museum of the History and Culture of Belarus, the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, 11 theaters, including the State Russian Drama and Belarusian Academic Theaters, the National Opera and Ballet Theater. In addition, the city has 20 cinemas and 139 libraries.
Transport
In Minsk there are 12 tram lines, 56 trolleybus routes and more than 100 bus routes, 2 metro lines. You can reach almost anywhere in the city using public minibus taxi. City transport and the metro start to work at 5:30 in the morning and finish the work at near 01:00. Call a taxi by phone: 135, 161, 152, 181, 157, 107.
Based on materials from http://minskinfo.com/ru/