Minsk turns 955: A Big day in the life of the country's main city

Minsk celebrated its anniversary on a grand scale on 10 September. The first mention of the city in historical chronicles dates back to 1067 in connection with the famous battle on the Nemiga River between the armies of Polotsk Prince Vseslav the Sorcerer and the Yaroslav sons. Today Minsk is a modern metropolis with a population of about 2 million and satellite cities (Dzerzhinsk, Zaslavl, Logoisk, Smolevichi, Fanipol, Rudensk). This summer archaeologists found unique artifacts at the site on the Menka River, which, among other things, indicate that Minsk may be much older. This year, the organizers of the festivities decided to show the versatility of Minsk as a cultural, economic, educational, sports, musical, and spiritual center. Festive events started on 3 September and were running until 11 September.