# Victory Square, Minsk > Victory Square is Minsk’s main Second World War memorial, on Independence Avenue: a 38-metre granite obelisk crowned by the Order of Victory, an Eternal Flame and an underground hall listing 566 Heroes of the Soviet Union. It is free and open 24 hours a day. Allow 20–30 minutes. Ploshcha Peramohi metro station opens straight onto the square. Web page: https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-victory-square - City: [Minsk](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk), Belarus - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Opening hours: 24 hours, daily - Hall of Memory (underpass): Free; no published opening hours - Address: Independence Avenue (praspiekt Niezalezhnasci), between Zakharava and Kisialiova streets, Minsk - Metro: Ploshcha Peramohi, line 1 (Maskouskaya line) — exits right on the square - Buses: 18, 26 and 39 — unofficial - Time needed: 20–30 minutes; about an hour with Gorky Park - Paying: Foreign Visa and Mastercard usually work; carry some BYN cash — unofficial - Coordinates: 53.90853, 27.57478 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **38 m** — height of the granite obelisk; some guides round it up to about 40 m (source: Minsk official tourism website; English Wikipedia) - **1954** — the monument was unveiled for the 10th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus (source: Minsk official tourism website; In Your Pocket) - **3 July 1961** — the Eternal Flame was lit at the foot of the obelisk, on the anniversary of the liberation of Minsk (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; In Your Pocket) - **566** — Heroes of the Soviet Union who fought to free Belarus are named on the wall of the underground hall (source: English Wikipedia; In Your Pocket) - **8 May 1985** — the Hall of Memory opened in the underpass, for the 40th anniversary of Victory (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; In Your Pocket) - **3 m** — height of the Order of Victory on top of the column (source: English Wikipedia; Sputnik8) - **48 m** — the column in the first design — it was built 10 metres lower, in granite instead of white marble (source: English Wikipedia; In Your Pocket) - **4 wreaths** — bronze wreaths around the obelisk stand for the four Soviet fronts that freed Belarus (source: Minsk official tourism website; In Your Pocket) - **1958** — until then the square was called Round Square (source: Russian Wikipedia; In Your Pocket) - **1984** — the square was reshaped from round to oval for the metro exits, and capsules of soil from the hero cities were set in granite (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) ## Is Victory Square in Minsk worth visiting? Yes, as a short stop: it is free, open around the clock and right on the metro, and twenty minutes here explains a lot about how Belarus remembers the war. It is not a full attraction with exhibits, so do not cross the city just for it — combine it with a walk along **Independence Avenue** and Gorky Park. The square is at its best in two moods. In daylight you see the scale of the 1950s ensemble — the obelisk framed by two curved Stalinist blocks. After dark the column is floodlit and the square is quiet, which suits a memorial far better than the midday traffic roaring round it. ## What to see at Victory Square - **The Victory Monument** — a 38-metre column faced with grey granite, topped by a 3-metre Order of Victory, with a bronze sword wrapped in a laurel branch below. - **Four bronze high reliefs** on the pedestal: 9 May 1945, the Soviet Army in the war, the Belarusian partisans and Glory to the Fallen Heroes. - **Four bronze wreaths** around the base, one for each front that liberated Belarus. - **The Eternal Flame**, burning at the foot of the obelisk since 3 July 1961. - **Soil capsules from the Soviet hero cities**, set into granite blocks in 1984–1985. - **The Hall of Memory** under the square — bronze plaques with 566 names and a glass wreath lit from within. - **The curved buildings** on either side, whose red rooftop letters spell “Подвиг народа бессмертен” — “The heroic deed of the people is immortal”. > **Treat it as a memorial** Locals take this place seriously. Do not sit on the steps by the Eternal Flame, never throw anything into it, and keep your voice down. Photos are fine. On 3 July (Independence Day) and 9 May (Victory Day) the square hosts official ceremonies and may be fenced off for a while. ## The Eternal Flame and the Hall of Memory The Eternal Flame was lit on **3 July 1961**, the anniversary of the day Minsk was liberated in 1944. It burns at the foot of the obelisk, and people bring flowers to it on memorial days. Below ground, the pedestrian underpass circles the obelisk and leads into the **Hall of Memory**, opened on 8 May 1985. Its walls carry the names of 566 soldiers made Heroes of the Soviet Union for freeing Belarus; in the middle hangs a glass laurel wreath by the artist V. Pozhyak. There is no ticket. We could not find official opening hours for the hall, so treat it as a bonus rather than the whole reason to come. ## A short history of the square Building started in the late 1930s under the city’s master plan, with the two curved apartment blocks that still frame the square. Minsk was almost destroyed in the war, and when it was rebuilt the round space on the main avenue became its memorial: the obelisk went up in **1954**. The original design called for 48 metres of white marble; the column was built ten metres lower, in granite. Until 1958 this was simply Round Square. In 1984 the architects reshaped it into an oval to fit the exits of the new metro station and set capsules of soil from the hero cities around the monument. ## How to get to Victory Square 1. From the Town Hall and the Upper Town, walk down to **Nyamiha** metro station — 5–7 minutes. 2. Ride one stop to **Kupalauskaya** and follow the signs through the passage to **Kastrychnitskaya** (line 1, Maskouskaya line). 3. Ride one stop to **Ploshcha Peramohi** and take any exit towards the obelisk — it stands right above the station. 4. On foot from Kastrychnitskaya (October Square), walk 10–15 minutes north-east along Independence Avenue; the obelisk is visible from far away. 5. Walking the whole way from the Upper Town takes about 25 minutes; a taxi takes a few minutes. > **Paying for the metro in Belarus** The square is free; you only pay for transport, priced in Belarusian rubles (BYN). Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards usually work in Minsk, but terminals sometimes fail — this is unofficial — so take a little BYN cash from an ATM. Euros and dollars are changed at banks and exchange offices, not accepted at ticket desks. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] 20–30 minutes for the square and the hall - [ ] Card that works abroad, plus some BYN cash for the metro - [ ] No sitting by the flame, nothing thrown in - [ ] Checked for ceremonies or closures today - [ ] Coming after dark for the floodlit obelisk - [ ] Gorky Park and the Svislach river next ## Victory Square vs Independence Square vs Island of Tears | | Victory Square | Independence Square | Island of Tears | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Obelisk, Eternal Flame and Heroes’ hall | Main square with Government House and the Red Church | Afghan war memorial on the Svislach | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | Open | 24 hours | 24 hours | 24 hours | | Time needed | 20–30 min | 30–40 min | ≈ 30 min | | Metro | Ploshcha Peramohi | Ploshcha Lenina | Nyamiha | All three fit into one walk through the centre. If war history is your focus, follow Victory Square with the [Great Patriotic War Museum](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-war-museum) and a half-day trip out of town to [Khatyn](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/khatyn-memorial). ## Historic sights in Minsk compared Every historic sight in Minsk rated by YesGo. - [Trinity Suburb](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/trinity-suburb) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free; museums extra - [Minsk Town Hall and Upper Town](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-town-hall) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · 10 BYN, square free - [Red Church (Church of Saints Simon and Helena)](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-red-church) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Closed inside, outside free - [Independence Square](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-independence-square) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free, open 24/7 - [Island of Tears](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/island-of-tears) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Victory Square](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-victory-square) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, open 24 hours - [Belarusian Great Patriotic War Museum](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-war-museum) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 20 BYN; students 16, pupils 10 - [Khatyn Memorial](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/khatyn-memorial) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Memorial free, museum ≈ 8 BYN - [Dudutki Museum Complex](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/dudutki) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · 30 BYN, schoolchildren 15 BYN ## Independence Avenue and the river in half a day Independence Square and the Red Church, the Victory obelisk, down to the river, the Island of Tears and an evening in Trinity Suburb. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 1. [Independence Square](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-independence-square) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free, open 24/7 2. [Red Church (Church of Saints Simon and Helena)](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-red-church) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Closed inside, outside free 3. [Victory Square](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/minsk-victory-square) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, open 24 hours 4. [Island of Tears](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/island-of-tears) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free 5. [Trinity Suburb](https://yesgo.io/belarus/minsk/trinity-suburb) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · Free; museums extra ## Good to know Victory Square is not Victory Park: the park with the lake lies on Pieramozhcau (Pobediteley) Avenue in another part of town, near the war museum. The “Minsk — Hero City” stele is a separate monument in the north-west of the city. Signs and metro maps use Belarusian transliteration — look for Ploshcha Peramohi rather than Ploshchad Pobedy. ## Tips - Use Victory Square as a hinge between walks: Gorky Park and the Svislach embankment are about five minutes away. - Come after dark — the column is floodlit and the square is at its quietest. - Even if you are short of time, step down into the underpass: the Hall of Memory is directly beneath the obelisk. - On 3 July and 9 May you will see ceremonies and crowds; impressive, but expect to wait to reach the flame. - To understand the names on the wall, spend the next hours at the Great Patriotic War Museum — check its closing day first. - Independence Avenue has cafés in the buildings around the square and on the way to October Square — easy for a coffee stop. ## Questions ### Is Victory Square in Minsk free? Yes. The square, the obelisk and the Eternal Flame are free and open 24 hours a day, and the Hall of Memory in the underpass has no ticket either. ### How do I get to Victory Square? Take the metro to Ploshcha Peramohi on line 1 — the station is directly under the square. From the Upper Town go Nyamiha → Kupalauskaya, change to Kastrychnitskaya and ride one stop, or walk about 25 minutes along Independence Avenue. ### How tall is the Victory Monument in Minsk? The granite column is 38 metres high, topped by a 3-metre Order of Victory, which is why some guides say about 40 metres. The first design called for 48 metres. ### When was the Eternal Flame lit? On 3 July 1961, the anniversary of the liberation of Minsk. It burns at the foot of the obelisk. ### What is the Hall of Memory? A round hall in the underpass beneath the obelisk, opened in 1985, with the names of 566 Heroes of the Soviet Union who fought to free Belarus and a glass wreath in the centre. Opening hours are not published. ### How long do I need at Victory Square? 20–30 minutes for the obelisk, the flame and the hall; about an hour if you continue into Gorky Park or along the river. ### What does the writing on the buildings say? The red rooftop letters on the two curved buildings read “Подвиг народа бессмертен” — “The heroic deed of the people is immortal”. ### Is it better to visit Victory Square during the day or at night? Both work. Daytime shows the whole 1950s ensemble; after dark the obelisk is floodlit and the square is calmer and better for photos. ### Can I pay by card in Minsk? Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards usually work in Minsk, though terminals can fail. Prices are in BYN — keep some cash from an ATM as a backup for the metro. ## How we checked Free entry and 24-hour access come from the Minsk official tourism website. Historical facts are checked against at least two sources. Sources disagree on the obelisk’s height — 38 m on the official tourism site and Wikipedia, about 40 m or even 32 m elsewhere; we give 38 m and explain the rounding by the 3-metre order on top. Wikipedia and In Your Pocket date the Hall of Memory to 8 May 1985, Sputnik8 to 1984; we use 1985. We found no official opening hours for the hall and mark it, the bus numbers (one source) and card payments as “verifying”. ## Sources - Minsk official tourism website (minsktourism.by): Victory Monument — height, “open around the clock”, wreaths and reliefs, 30.10.2026 - English Wikipedia: Victory Square, Minsk; Russian Wikipedia: Victory Square (Minsk), Central District (Minsk); Wikidata Q2635425 - In Your Pocket Minsk: Victory Square - Sputnik8: Victory Square — Order of Victory, glass wreath, rooftop inscription, metro exits, buses - ATM Fee Saver and traveller guides — using foreign cards in Belarus --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.