Victory Square, Minsk

Victory Square is a monumental oval plaza on the main avenue of Minsk, centred on a tall granite obelisk crowned by a victory emblem and flanked by bronze reliefs of the war years. An eternal flame burns at its base, and an underground memorial hall lies beneath the square. Grand postwar residential buildings curve around the space, forming a set-piece of the city's mid-century planning. Visitors come to see the obelisk, attend commemorations, and take in one of the most recognisable civic ensembles of the capital.