Minsk (TheodoresTomfooleries)

Minsk Мінск · Минск
Capital city and city of republican subordination
From top to bottom, left to right: BSSR State Academic Theatre, Lenin Square, Station Square, Vladimir Lenin Byelorussian University, Supreme Soviet Building, State Art Museum of Byelorussia
Flag Coat of arms
Etymology: Menya river
Minsk's location in the Soviet Union
Coordinates:
Country	Soviet Union
Union republic	Byelorussian SSR
First mentioned	1067
Government
• Body	Minsk Soviet
Area
• Total	2,352.5 km2 (908.3 sq mi)
Elevation	280.6 m (920.6 ft)
Population  (2019)
• Total	3,643,455 (city proper)
Demonym	Minsker
Time zone	UTC+3
ISO 3166 code	SU-MIN
Website	minskgov.su

Minsk (Byelorussian: Мінск; tr. either Minsk or Miensk; Russian: Минск) is the largest city and capital of Byelorussia, with a population of 3.64 million people as of the 2019 census. A city of marginal importance for most of its existence, it became the capital of the Principality of Minsk and much later Minsk Governorate, who's borders are quite similar to the modern day Byelorussia's. Minsk became the capital of an independent Byelorussia in 1918, and after the Russian Civil War, the capital of the Byelorussian SSR. Minsk was particularly devastated by the Great Patriotic War which saw Minsk's population decrease from 300,000 to 50,000~ in 1944. Minsk was rewarded the Hero City award in 1974.