Belarus: The Minsk Metro - a very Soviet metro system

When we arrived into Minsk from the airport, the airport bus dropped us off at the main train station. We bought our tickets to Kiev for two days later while we were there, but by then it was late in the evening and we needed to go to our hotel. We went by the Minsk Metro, which became one of the first sights we saw in Belarus. The 0.60 BYN (£0.21, €0.25) flat ticket price was the second best thing about the metro; the best of all was definitely the socialist-realist design and architecture.

Not a sight often seen any more - completely preserved from the opening of the metro system in 1984

The main train station is served by "Ploschad Lenina" metro station, meaning "Lenin Square". Well, it certainly made a strong first impression.

Bust of Lenin, in Lenin Square station

Our visit in Minsk only began in earnest the next day, where we walked around the city centre. We did, however, take the metro to the national library - which involved going through the time capsule that is Oktyabrskaya station (Belarusian language: Kastrychnitskaya; some stations have different names in Russian and Belarusian), resplendent in its socialist-realist wonder.

Socialist-realist artwork at Oktyabrskaya station, around the theme of the October Revolution 

Oktyabrskaya station - theme of building the USSR, with motifs of military symbols such as tank trains in the Great Patriotic War, of the progress of Soviet industry, and of the Five Year Plan. 

This was only an introduction, though - the crowning jewel of socialist-realist artwork was in the bas-reliefs at platform level.


One side of the station, with socialist themes and a giant hammer and sickle. 

The Russian-language slogans include, roughly from left to right:
  • Даешь пятилетку - Deliver the Five Year Plan
  • Слава КПСС - Glory to the Communist Party of the USSR
  • СССР ☭ Коммунизм - USSR ☭ Communism
  • Миру-Мир - World peace
  • Дружба народов - Friendship of peoples
Red flags of socialism fly in the background along with signs of the success of Soviet development, such as Sputnik on the upper-right. 

The other side of Oktyabrskaya station, with an October Revolution theme.

More of the October Revolution bas-relief, centred on a motif of the Battleship Potemkin

The other side of the station platforms is another socialist-realist bas-relief, this time on the theme of the October Revolution. Slogans from left to right:
  • Мы наш мы новый мир построим - We will build ourselves a new world
  • Партия - ум, честь и совесть нашей эпохи - The Party is the mind, honour and conscience of our era
  • Ленин 1917 - Lenin 1917, centred on the Battleship Potemkin in the centre of the relief
  • Вся власть Советам - All power to the Soviets
  • Мир народам - Peace to the people
  • Земля крестьянам - Land to the peasants
Not all of the stations are communist-themed, though - the Ploshcha Yakuba Kolasa station has ceramic tile artwork of Belarusian folk traditions in dancing, harvesting, and a wedding.

Ploshcha Yakuba Kolasa station, with Belarusian folk imagery on ceramic

Finally, Moskovskaya (Belarusian language: Maskowskaya) station is lined with artworks of Moscow landmarks inset into the marble walls.

Moskovskaya station: The Moscow Kremlin

Moskovskaya station: Bolshoi Theatre

Moskovskaya station: St. Basil's Cathedral

The architecture in Minsk is very strongly that of a socialist-realist city, completely rebuilt after the destruction of Minsk in the Second World War. The Minsk Metro is an excellent example of Soviet socialist-realist architecture, designed as palaces for the people. It's a unique place, where history is preserved just as it was in the 1980s USSR.

Location: vulica Kastryčnickaja, Minsk, Belarus

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