National Library of Republic of Belarus, Minsk

The National Library of the Republic of Belarus is the largest library in the country and a significant cultural and information hub. Established on September 15, 1922, under the aegis of the Belarusian State University, it originally housed 60,000 books and was known as the Belarusian State and University Library.

Today, the National Library boasts the largest collection of Belarusian printed materials and the third largest collection of Russian books, following the Russian State Library in Moscow and the Russian National Library in Saint Petersburg. Its modern, iconic building, completed in January 2006, features a striking architectural design in the shape of a rhombicuboctahedron. Designed by architects Mihail Vinogradov and Viktor Kramarenko, the building rises to a height of 73.6 meters, weighs 115,000 tons (excluding the books), and comprises 23 floors.

The library can accommodate about 2,000 readers and includes a 500-seat conference hall, making it a versatile space for both study and events. Its extensive depository collections include approximately 10 million items across various media. The public can access over 500,000 copies in the reading halls, while digital resources are available via library computers and the Internet.

One of the unique features of the library is an elevator that leads to the roof on the twenty-third floor, where visitors can enjoy an observation deck equipped with binoculars, as well as a café and a gallery on the twenty-second floor. The library's impressive and ultramodern design, combined with its rich collections and facilities, makes it an attractive landmark and a key cultural institution in Belarus.