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Minsk

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The Old Town, west of praspekt Skaryny, is home to the Baroque Cathedral of St Dukhawski. The Cathedral was once part of a Polish Bernardine convent - the former monastery buildings have been restored and now house a music academy. For a look at how Minsk used to be, travel to the east of the Svislach River, where a neighbourhood has been rebuilt in 17th- and 18th-century style. It's quaint and small-scale, and is scattered with cafes, bars, restaurants and gift shops. Nearby, the 1847 St Mary Magdeline Church has a pointed octagonal bell tower and a grand dome. There are plenty of XII-XIV centuries Castles left in Belarus.