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Minsk
(Mensk) was first mentioned in the chronicles for 1067. It is situated on the watershed of
the river routes linking the Baltic to the Black Sea. The city owes its name to the word
"miena" (barter). Early Minsk formed part of the Principality of Polatsk, which
was ruled over by Scandinavian princes. In the 13-th century Minsk
Principality was the part of the Great Duchy of Lithuania. In 1499 Minsk was given a
special autonomous status known as Magdeburg privilege. In the 16-th century Minsk played
an important role in the political union with the Kingdom of Poland. In the 18-th century
Minsk was under russian rule. Minsk has a glorious history and deserves to be the capital of an independant republic. Unfortunately, the city has been ruined many times and constant wars have buried its prosperous past. The modern face of the city doesn't reflect its rich ancient Belarusian history. After World War II Minsk was designated a hero-city. So you can find many monuments connected with these dramatic episodes in the city's history. Minsk is also a scientific and cultural center. You can find many institutions of higher education, theaters and other places of interest. The main problem nowadays is to revive Belarusian culture and language. The institutions of culture and education are able to contribute to the cultural revival of Belarusian society. |
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