Upper Town

About this place

Upper Town is the historic centre of Minsk, the capital of Belarus, on a small hill on the right bank of the Svislach River. Freedom Square sits at its heart, ringed by buildings from the 17th to the 19th centuries, churches and the old town hall. This area was the city's trading and religious heart from the 16th century, with the market and the town hall. The original town hall was demolished in the 19th century and rebuilt in its old form in 2004. Today the area hosts festivals and open-air concerts. You see a wide cobbled square ringed by white buildings with red roofs, and the facades of two large churches with white towers. Lanes hold cafés with terraces, and from the edge of the hill a view opens over the river, the quarter opposite and the towers of the modern city. It is in central Minsk, a short walk from Trinity Suburb across the river, and it is free to enter. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Belarus, so read the current advice before any planning.