The twin towers
White.
Vasilii Martynov — CC BY 4.0 · Futureal — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Alex Zelenko — CC BY-SA 4.0 · CuCumbson — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii — Public domain
Saint Sophia Cathedral is a former religious building in the city of Polotsk, in northern Belarus, built by Prince Vseslav between 1044 and 1066. It is probably the oldest church in Belarus, and today it serves as a concert hall and museum. The cathedral stands where the Polota River meets the Western Dvina, on the east side of the city. It is named after Holy Wisdom, like the cathedrals of Kyiv and Novgorod. It was rebuilt and altered many times between the 11th and 18th centuries, so only parts of Vseslav's building survive. The tombs of sixteen princes of Polotsk have been found here. From outside you see a bright white Baroque building with two tall twin towers on the front, topped with small domes, on a high green hill. From the riverbank the cathedral appears white above the houses and trees, with the wide river flowing below. It is about 192 km from Minsk in a straight line, in the old town. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Belarus, so read the current advice before any planning.
White.
Above the river.
From the bank.
Where the Polota meets the Western Dvina, Polotsk, Belarus
As a concert hall and museum.
Yes, the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Belarus.