More than 900 years ago, on the right bank of the river Svisloch, at the place where another river, the Nemiga, was flowing into it, on a low hill, there arose the town of Minsk (mentioned in the annals as Mienesk, Miensk, Minsk). The name Miensk is believed to be derived from Mienka, the river flowing into Ptich, not far from the city. But a folk legend links the town's name either to a certain Minch or to Mienesk - a Belarusian epic hero. Hence the names Minsk and Miensk.

Another interpretation claims that the word Minsk was derived from the word 'miena' meaning 'barter', because the place the city now stands was in ancient times an exchange place, a marketplace. Therefore the town was first called Miensk, Miensk and finally Minsk. Minsk was first mentioned in the annals in 1067 as a town in the Polatsk principality. On the 3rd of March 1067 a fierce battle took place near the river Nemiga between Prince Usiaslau of Polatsk and the sons of Prince Jaroslav - Iziaslav, Vsievolod and Sviatoslav. As a result of the battle, Minsk was smashed up, the men were killed, the women and children were carried off into captivity. Usiaslau managed to escape.

The author of the celebrated account of the battle of Igor (Slovo o Polku Igorevie) narrates, with a feeling of pain and reproach, about the "Russian sons" dying in that battle. After the Nemiga battle and subsequent internal wars between the appanage Princes, Minsk got burnt to the ground many more times, its inhabitants perished, but the town rose again and again.

In 1084, Minsk was ravaged by Prince Vladimir Monomakh. In Prince's words, "nobody remained there, neither people nor animals". But Minsk stood up out of the ruins that time again.

In the beginning of the XII century the town became the center of a crown domain. Throughout the XIII century it was property of many Princes. In the end of the XIII century the weakened Minsk principality got under the Lithuanian Princes' influence, and in the first quarter of the XIV century became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which in 1569 together with the Polish kingdom formed the federative state of Rzeczpospolita.

From the very outset the town was built a mighty fortress on the Polatsk principality southern border. Its territory was surrounded by the high earthen wall, on the crest of which wooden fortress walls with gates and towers were erected. The most important archeological monument in Minsk is the ancient Zamchyshcha (place, where a fortress foundation stood), which had been situated in the area of the present-day 8th of March Square. Fragments of its cultural layer have been found, now protected by the state. This area now is a part of Masherov Avenue.

The ancient Minsk castle was situated, as it has been mentioned, on a natural island with a low hill, washed by the river Nemiga where it flows into the Svisloch. The traces of the Nemiga are preserved till now: it is a small stream, which can be followed from the station "Minsk-Tovarny" and which was flowing under the wooden planking on the Novo-Moskovskaya street (now Miasnikova), Nemigskaya street (now Nemiga), Yekaterininskaya street (now the continuation of Nemiga) until 1926; crossed Lower market (8th of March Square) and flowed into the Svisloch.

In 1926 the river's lower part was concluded into a concrete manifold. In its upper current the Nemiga had been flowing through the city's yards and streets as a stream for a long time still - till 1950s. In ancient times, during flood periods, the stream would cause a lot of trouble to these streets' inhabitants. It would go out of its channel, break the wooden planking, flood yards and streets, basements and the buildings' lower floors. After the Great Patriotic War the river was enclosed in pipes under the ground. Excavations revealed that 3-4 meter wide narrow streets formed the Zamchyshcha central part's planning basis.

The main streets with the offshoots to the dwelling houses and yards led to the town gates. Roadways were made of beams, laid on lengthwise logs. Yards were fenced by paling made of the beams, digged into the ground. The free from buildings yard area used to be covered with wooden planking. During the Zamchyshcha excavations a lot of wooden buildings and the stone foundation of a church dating back to the XII-XIII centuries were found. It has been established that the stable planning was typical for Minsk, i.e. throughout the centuries streets and yards had stayed in the same places. The main fortress street was that of Zamkovaya. It crossed the territory of Zamchyshcha diagonally from east to west, and extended beyond the earthen wall to the crossing with Bolshaya Tatarskaya street (now Dimitrova). A part of its adjacing Dimitrova street is still there. Other streets - Podzamkovaya, Miasnitskaya, Volovaya, Zavalnaya, Zavalny lane - have not survived.

Minsk fortress fortifications successfully survived numerous sieges. For a long time it served as the Princes' residence, and later the residence of the great Princes and kings' deputies. Since the end of the XVII century its fortifications had been gradually turning into ruins. Their remains, so called Zamkovy Hill, existed till the 1950s. Since the XI century churches and monasteries had been constructed in Minsk. All of them were made of wood. In the XII century the trading quarter with the Lower market square was formed on the Nemiga's right southern bank. By the end of the XVI century this area had substantially enlarged, as new streets and lanes have emerged. Nemigskaya, Rakovskaya and Zybitskaya streets became central. According to the archeological excavations, the construction of Nemigskaya street began as early as in the XIII century along the old trade route and the Nemiga river in the north-west direction. Not far from the Lower market, to the right of the river's left bank, the road to Rakov - Rakovsky Trakt - started. Rakovskaya street - Rakovksky suburb had gradually arose along it. Today it is a part of Ostrovsky street. The buildings of the XVII-XVIII centuries, which adjoined the St. Paul and Peter Church (later Yekaterininskaya Church), have not survived. They were taken down in 1975 because of Nemiga reconstruction. Zybitskaya street, which was renamed into Torgovaya in XIX century, started from the Lower market square and went to north-east, along the Svisloch's right bank. Its route connected the Lower market with the area called "Voloki Polatskiye". In the XVI century this area began being built, forming Volotskaya street, which in XIX century was renamed into Kreshchenskaya, in the 1920s - Oktiabrskaya, and in 1950s - Internatsionalnaya (i.e. a part from Engels street to Yanka Kupala street). Zybitskaya and a part of Nemigskaya street's route were at the foot of the hill, where in the end of the XVI century the Upper Town's ensemble was formed. To the north-west from the Lower market Tatarskij suburb or Tatarskij end appeared. Captive Crimea Tartars lived there in the beginning of the XVI century. Its main streets were Bolshaya Tatarskaya (now Dimitrova) and Malaya Tatarskaya (Kolkhoznaya). The area between the Tatarsky end and the Svisloch was called Tatarskiye backyards. Now this is the area of Masherov avenue with high buildings, "Moskva" cinema and the Palace of Sports.

The most promising direction in the town's development was the south-east one, and primarily the area of today's Liberty Square, situated on the hilly height and dominating over the Old town. By the way, the new town center started to form here. Up to the XVI century there were only wooden buildings in Minsk. A great fire in 1547, which destroyed the castle and almost all wooden buildings, gave a ground for the town planning structure reviewing, including the new public, cultural and trade center - the Upper town. Its development began in 1589. The new town center with its architectural ensemble was being created, as envisaged by the town-building plan. Thus, in the center, a large rectangular square, where the main streets met, was formed. On the new square itself and in its proximity, the most important public and religious buildings were erected. The City Hall, bazaar; Uniate, Dominican and Bernardine monasteries, the feudal nobility's castles, merchants and rich craftsmen's houses. The stone buildings appeared only in the second half of the XVI century.

In the first half of the XVII century Belarusian monumental architecture had clear defensive features. Such constructions included the stone buildings of St. Peter and Paul Church, Dominican and Saint Spirit monasteries, which were reared when there were no town fortifications in place. The latter got constructed after some time. The earthen wall with bastions stretched from the bog behind Tatarsky end, in the west part it surrounded the area of today's Osvobozhdeniya, Ostrovskogo, Vitebskaya and Nemiga streets, then it went on the routes of Respublikanskaya, Uritskogo streets and Skarina avenue, crossed Yanka Kupala street, went down to the river, skirting the Troitskoye suburb. Along with the Upper town, Troitskoye suburb grew on the Troitskaya Hill - the outskirts of Minsk. Its name is believed to have originated from the name of Troistsky church, which in the XVI century stood on the place where the Opera house and the Ballet theatre are situated nowadays. The roads to Moscow and Vilno used to meet in Troitskoye suburb. Bolshaya Borisovskaya on the old Borisovsky route was the main street, Troitskaya street being its continuation. In the XIX century the two streets were given the name of Alexandrovskaya, in the 1920s - that of Kommunalnaya, and in the beginning of the 1930s - Maxim Gorky street. Since the XIX century a market called the Troistsky market was situated on the Troitsky Hill. It existed till 1935, i.e. till the beginning of the construction of the Opera house and the Ballet theater.

In the beginning of the XVIII century the architectural ensemble of the Upper town (Upper market) was changing. In its north-western part, an edifice of the Jesuit college was being constructed in baroque style, there appeared a two-tower church with the adjacent monastery buildings crowned by a tower clock. By the middle of the XVIII century these buildings had completed the square's ensemble. The central place on the square was occupied by the City Hall, with the bazaar to the north-west of it, the Dominican monastery - to the north-east, and the complex of Basilian monasteries and Saint Spirit church somewhat to the north. Bernardine monastery and nunnery were located behind. In the square's north-western and south-eastern parts there were people's residences, stores, taverns, drug stores.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries the Upper market, or Upper town was the principal administrative, trade and cultural center. Fairs and skomorokhs' (clown's) performances used to be organized here. One could also watch Batlejka (Belarusian puppet-theatre). Civil and religious festivals, mystery plays, processions, theatrical performances were also held on the square and in its buildings.

In the beginning of the XIX century these traditions gradually disappeared. In 1793 the central part of Belarus including Minsk became a part of the Russian empire. Minsk province was formed, later transformed into Minsk governorship (gubernija).

In the beginning of the XIX century Nemigskaya street continued to be the town's main street. Like some other streets, it preserved its aspect till now. Other streets are: Revolutsionnaya, Internatsionalnaya, Bakunina, Gertsena, Muzykalny lane. Nemiga and Torgovaya street ceased to exist in their former appearance since 1970s.

According to the town-building design plans of 1800, 1817 and 1857, the town's building-up and improvement began. The rectangular principle was taken as the basis. The compositional axis, the main street, stood out. The town consisted of the central part and the suburbs. According to the plans, the defensive fortifications of the XV-XVIII centuries were leveled, some streets were straightened, the Gubernatorsky garden (now Central Gorky park) was founded.

The town was developing south-eastwards. New streets appeared, such as Zakharyevskaya (now Sovietskaya street and Skaryna avenue), which became the main street; Podgornaya (K. Marx street); Magazinnaya (Kirov street) and others. On the place of the Novy market (the area of Oktiabrskaya square and Central garden) a post office was built, as well as a Lutheran church (has not survived), bishop town house, Noble Assembly building (on the cross roads of Engels and K. Marx streets. K. Marx town club stood here before the Great Patriotic War) and Gausman's house, where the Public Assembly was located (has not survived). Between these buildings in 1872 Alexander (Central) park was founded, where in 1874 a fountain on the occasion of water-supply opening in Minsk was set up - "A boy with a swan". After numerous restorations this fountain up till nowadays decorates the Central garden. The town theatre building (now Yanka Kupala State Academic theatre), rebuilt in 1958, has been a part of the Park's composition since 1890.

In the XIX century religious institutions i.e. Maria Magdalene church on the Storozhovskoye cemetery, Kalvarijsky church and "brama". Troistsky Zolotogorsky church, Alexander Nevsky memorial church on the Voyennoye (military) cemetery began working. The plan of 1858 determined the direction of Serpukhovskaya (Volodarskogo) and Novo-Romanovskaya (Respublikanskaya) streets. The building up of streets constructed in the XIX century i.e. Magazinnaya (Kirov), Podgornaya (K. Marx), Petropavlovskaya (Engels), Gubernatorskaya (Lenin) and others greatly changed the architectural appearance of Minsk. All the town's part situated behind the river, including Troitsky hill, also got the new lay-out.

The Upper town's ensemble has also changed much for the better. One of the Jesuit college blocks was reconstructed for the Governor's house. The Basil monastery was rebuilt in the late classicism style to be used for government offices. It has mainly preserved till nowadays. St. Peter and Pall cathedral was designed based on Basil monastery's Saint Spirit church. Its rebuilding in pseudo Russian style distorted the Renaissance architecture beyond recognition.

The Upper town was renamed into Sobornaya square (now Liberty square). Its buildings had an expressive architectural silhouette, defined by the square ensemble's monumental edifices. The theological college built in classicism style recently rebuilt, stands out on the Troitsky Hill. It accommodates Suvorov cadet school today.

The city plan had been much changed by the laying of railways in 1871-1874: from Moscow to Brest and from Libava to Romno. Minsk started to grow mainly in the south-west direction along the railways. Since that time it became a most important railway juncture, connecting the east and the west of the country, as well as the north and the south.

The newly built area nearly equaled the territory occupied by the city in the first half of the XIX century. However, it is being improved in the central part only. The water-supply system was built. In 1890 the telephone appeared, in 1892 - the konka (trams pulled by horses), in 1895 - the electric light. The town's area grew by 10 times from 1861 till 1897. In that time Minsk belonged to the 44 towns of the European Russia where the population exceeded 90,000. The railways, which divided the town into different districts, together with the industrial enterprises, occupying the best areas near the river, worsened the town's structure and sanitary conditions.

In the beginning of the XX century a number of new architects (O. Krasnopolsky, S. Gajdukevich, G. Gaj and others) appeared in Minsk. Edifices in modern style were raised based on their projects.

One of the most interesting buildings was the "Europe" hotel, erected in 1906-1908 on the corner of today's Freedom square and Lenin street. (The building was destroyed in June, 1941 during the bombing of Minsk by Nazis).

On the corner of today's Lenin avenue and Komsomolskaya street the Polish bank was erected. Before the war the State Department Store (GUM) was situated there. The building has not survived. In this very period the new type of dwelling houses was being created - multistoried profit houses. They were situated in the present Sovetskaya, Kirova and K. Marx streets. In 1908-1910 two monumental buildings were erected near the railway station - the Kazanskaya church in the area of the Western bridge (has not survived) and St. Simon and Helena's church a.k.a. the Red church.

The buildings' arrangement in the quarters was rather dense. For example, the buildings in the area in the middle of Zakharjevskaya (Skaryna avenue), Gubernatorskaya (Lenin) and Petropavlovskaya (Engels) streets stood so close to each other, that there was virtually no room for backyards.

Minsk had been repeatedly destroyed not only in wars, but also by fire. It suffered especially much in the fire in 1881. Since then only stone houses were built in the city center.

The proportion of stone buildings and paved streets in Minsk was lower than in the towns of central Russia towns, and also in such ancient Belarusian towns as Grodno, Brest, Mogilev. Narrow, crooked streets, especially in the old part of the city made it difficult to develop transport and improve engineering.

In 1912 the population of Minsk exceeded 100,000 people. In 23 educational establishments, including 7 high schools (4 of them were private), 6032 people were studying (5,7% of the population, from wealthy families as a rule). There were no higher educational establishments at all. There were only 4 cinemas and a theatre, the latter opened in 1890.

The 1st assembly of Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party was the important landmark in the history of Russian revolutionary movement. It was held on March 1-3 (13-15) 1898 in a wooden house, the flat of railway worker P. Rumiantsev situated on Zakharjevskaya street (Skaryna avenue, 31a). This house became a relic and a historical monument of the Belarusian capital. The Minsk proletariat responded willingly to the revolutionary events in 1905. In the morning of October, 31 near the Libava-Romno railway station, a rally of the Minsk workers took place. It was on their demand that the general-governor P. Kurlov released the political prisoners, but at the same time ordered to shoot down the unarmed rally participants. The October Socialist Revolution started a new era in the history of the ancient city over the river Svisloch.