Big City Lights: Christmas Illumination in Minsk

Together with the rest of the world, Minsk is gearing up for the main holiday season. Shopping malls, souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes have put up spectacular decorations to attract visitors. Even in the absence of snow, which is unusual for the Belarusian winter, the city is in the festive mood. On 15 December Minsk officially lit up Christmas lights.

This year Minsk installed 24 Christmas trees, with the main one, according to tradition, in the heart of the city – Oktyabrskaya Square. According to the designers, the Christmas tree is 35-meter high. It no longer resembles a perfectly smooth cone, and is more like a forest spruce tree. The 3D effect is created with the help of special spotlights. The New Year tree is adorned with Belarusian ornaments and more than 7,000 colorful lamps. The center of the capital is also illuminated by hanging balls, each about 60cm in diameter. 

A ceremony to switch on New Year Lights in Minsk took place at the country’s official New Year tree at 17h05 sharp. Hundreds of Minsk residents and guests enjoyed the festive decorations and took pictures near the New Year symbol 2016. Sparkling laced balls-arbors which are 8m in diameter and about 750kg heavy were very popular with selfie fans. The huge balls are made of 350m of LED duralight and about 150m of garlands with more than 11,000 lamps.

During the New Year and Christmas celebrations Minsk will be illuminated from 15 December till 14 January (the Old New Year): till 23:00 in the evening, from 6:00 till the street lights are off in the morning. By tradition, on 24 December, 31 December, 6 January and 13 January the city will be illuminated during the night.

Apart from traditional places, this year the lights will be switched on along the ancient Loshitsa Park and near Komarovsky Marketplace; there will be a big LED panel displaying New Year characters and greetings near the circus building in Minsk.

We welcome you to take a virtual trip along Minsk’s pre-New Year streets and enjoy the festive atmosphere in Belarus…