Every city has its heart. There beats the pulse of that city, there take place all significant events and gather citizens and curious tourists. In some cities, small parks in the shade of aged trees stand there; in other places, there are spacious squares surrounded by ancient architectural monuments. In the Belarusian capital Minsk, it is Independence Square. Earlier, the giant square in the city center bore the name of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. It was a unique project of the famous Soviet architect Josef Langbard, whose works are exemplary monuments of Belarusian architecture.

The history of one of the most favorite sites of citizens and guests began in the 1930s with the construction of the Government House of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The monument to Vladimir Lenin of the talented sculptor Matvey Manizer was erected in its center at the same time. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the German occupation in World War II. The one adorning the legendary square today is a copy made by the author’s outlines at the Leningrad factory in 1945. As a result of the war, most of the pre-war buildings were broken down. Only the Government House and the Church of Saints Simon and Helena, or the Red Church, the main Catholic shrine of Minsk made in the neo-Romanesque style, have survived. Solemn parades and festive demonstrations took place on the square. A fascinating park was laid out, and circular traffic was introduced. In 1991, the square got its new name, Independence Square, and a picturesque recreation area with a fantastic light and music fountain, which has become its main adornment. The Minsk square became even more famous with the construction of the underground mall Stolitsa and a four-story parking lot for 500 cars at the beginning of the 21st century.