Overview:

The Minsk Hero City Obelisk is a monument located in Victory Square, in the capital of Belarus, Minsk. It was unveiled in 1985 and serves to commemorate Minsk being named a Hero City of the Soviet Union. The obelisk is constructed of granite and is 25 meters tall and weighing 57 tons. It is topped off with a bronze sculpture of a Soviet soldier. The sculpture depicts the soldier as protecting the homeland while looking off into the future. The base of the obelisk includes a plaque for those who died defending Minsk during WWII. It also has the inscription "Glory to Soviet soldiers." The Minsk Hero City Obelisk is a symbol of the city’s courage and resilience during the War. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Belarus
Prominent Features:

The Minsk Hero City Obelisk is a tall monument located in the center of the Belarusian capital city Minsk. The obelisk was erected in 1961 in honor of the city’s designation as a Hero City for its bravery in resisting Nazi occupation during World War II. The monument stands 95 feet (29 m) high and is decorated in the Belarusian national colors of red and green. At the top of the Obelisk is a giant star formed from red silk and decorated with metal bands. Surrounding the monument are 24 granite slabs, each engraved with the name of one of the Belarusian citizens who received the prestigious title of Hero of the Soviet Union for their heroic deeds in the war. The slabs are organized in a semicircle around the obelisk, with the largest stone in the center. Below the granite slabs, small plaques list the names of all those who died during the defense of Minsk. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Belarus.

History:

The Minsk Hero City Obelisk, located in the Russian Orthodox cemetery in Minsk, Belarus, honors the heroes of WWII who fought in the defense of Minsk. The obelisk is inscribed with the names of the dead who fell in battle around Minsk and the suburbs. It was erected in 1965, twenty years after World War II, in the same location where the first mass grave was dug. The Monument reads: “To the defenders of Moscow, heroes of the Great Patriotic War, and those who died for the freedom of our Motherland during the defense of Minsk. Eternal glory!” The Obelisk is 8.5 meters tall and stands atop a 16 meter high base. Over five hundred soldiers are buried in the area around the obelisk. Erected to commemorate the fallen defenders of Minsk during World War Two, the obelisk is part of a larger memorial complex which also includes a large bronze statue of a soldier, several busts of famous writers, and a chapel. The obelisk is also inscribed with the Honor Roll of the Minsk Hero City. The obelisk is a popular tourist attraction in Minsk and a well known symbol of the war-torn city. It serves as a reminder of the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect it, and is a fitting tribute to the citizens of Minsk who are determined to move forward. Visit one of the famous monuments of Belarus with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Minsk Hero City Obelisk was erected in 1954 to celebrate the city of Minsk's heroic status as one of 10 Hero Cities in the former Soviet Union. 2. The obelisk is 42m tall and is made of reinforced concrete and faced with artificial granite. 3. It is topped with a 12-meter-tall bronze monument such as a soldier with a rifle, a sailor carrying the Soviet flag, a young mother with a baby in her arms, and a magnificently worked copper globe of the world. 4. The lower part of the obelisk is decorated with bronze symbolic figures of people from every service branch, a hammer and a plough. 5. Every year on August 12, the year of the republic’s liberation from occupation during World War II is marked at this place. 6. The grandiose event is marked by a military parade and concerts followed by fireworks. One of the historical monuments of Belarus, it tells the story of a bygone era