October Square, Minsk

October Square is a square in the center of Minsk, Belarus, which is located between Independence Avenue, Engels streets and International Street. To its east side there are areas limited to buildings of the Palace of Culture of Trade Unions, the Museum of the Great Patriotic War and the Minsk Palace of Republic. Around the Square is the Central House of Officers, the residence of the President of Belarus, and the Janka Kupała National Academic Theater. On the square there are the main metro stations in Minsk: Kastryčnickaja and Kupałaŭskaja.[1]

October Square
Kastryčnickaja plošča
Native nameКастрычніцкая плошча
Former name(s)Central Square
TypeSquare
LocationIndependence Avenue, Minsk
Nearest metro stationKastryčnickaja (Кастрычніцкая)
Construction
Construction start1949
Completion1961
Other
Known forBeing a central square in Minsk

History

In September 1952 a monument to Stalin was installed on the square with a height of 10 m. In 1957. Between the main square and central park were government stands, from which the party and state leadership of the BSSR took parades and welcomed the demonstrations like May 1, Victory Day, and the October Revolution. Therefore, the square acquired the status of the city's main square. On November 3, 1961, Stalin's monument was demolished, and in 1966 the area was replaced by the opening of a museum built in honor of the Great Patriotic War. In 1984, the area was renamed to October Square and construction of the Palace began on it, which dragged on for 17 years, resulting to Lenin Square having regained the status as the official central square of the city.

After independence, the area was often the venue for concerts, festivals, as well as socio-political action, in which the area is decorated with the appropriate attributes. From 2000 to today center area of the square put up the highest artificial tree in the country (height 30 m, diameter 18 m) around which the skating-rink and above the area carried out a festive illumination.

Buildings
  • Residence of the President of Belarus – The Residence of the incumbent President of Belarus was converted from the former building of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus to the presidential palace in 1994.[2]
  • Central House of Officers – The house of officers was a former red army house made in 1939. It was one of the only buildings made by Soviet architect Josif Langbard that survived the war.[2]
  • Trade Unions Palace of Culture

Photos
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References
  1. "Oktyabrskaya (October) Square | Sightseeing | Minsk". www.inyourpocket.com. Retrieved 2017-10-10.
  2. "Stalinist architecture of Minsk". www.comtourist.com. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  3. "Places to see in Minsk: exciting tourist attractions, museums, picturesque parks… | Belarus.by". www.belarus.by. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  4. "October square with the "Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War) and "The Palace of Tr - Picture of Minsk, Belarus - TripAdvisor". en.tripadvisor.com.hk. Retrieved 2017-11-20.

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