Socialist wall sculpture on front of a store

The Stalinist architecture of Minsk may be the number one reason to spend a view days in the capital of Belarus but the city’s many monuments, statue’s and memorials are certainly not less impressive. Minsk is one of the former Soviet Unions twelve Hero cities, the highest honorary title of the USSR awarded for Minsk’s role during the second world war. The soviets have erected big monuments to honour the cities resistance against the Germans, many statue’s for Poets, musicians, writers and politicians from Belarus can be found. Many works of social realist art like wall sculptures and mosaics can still be found on the streets and inside buildings in Minsk. Most impressive are the World War II victory column, the obelisk to hero city Minsk, the Island of tears (Afghanistan memorial), the monument to Yakub Kolas and the ever present Lenin statue.