Karl Marx Street is one of the most beautiful streets in Minsk, which has its own history.

This street began its existence since the 19th century. Its original name was Podgornaya, and it wasn’t accidental, as if you walk up the street fr om the Svisloch river side, then every pedestrian will notice that it rises uphill.

In the 19th century, the entire street was built up with stone houses, which were considered to be multy-storey at the time, and moreover, it was unusually beautifully planted with poplars. This street was favorite for walks among Minsk residents, however, complaints were made regularly about the road’s poor quality. Of course, this problem was solved, but not by efforts of the city authorities, but by accident: once a sewage machine turned over on the roadway, and the contents spread throughout the street. The city authorities had no choice but to put the street in order. The road was cleaned and paved.

Podgornaya street was actively developed and built up. Its popularity grew due to the fact, that there was a tobacco shop, a grocery store, a haberdashery, a tinsmith's house in it. In addition, there was the most expensive and prestigious hotel in Minsk - "Bristol". This hotel was designed for only 14 sites, and already at that time it worked on the well-known nowadays principle of "all inclusive".

The building, where Dr. Kamotsky's laboratory, a chemical and biological office were once located, has been preserved in the street until today. A chemical and biological analysis of the city's drinking water and water analysis from water bodies were conducted in this office.

At the intersection of Karl Marx and Lenin streets, there is still a corner building, wh ere a police station was located in 1917. It was headed by M. Frunze, who issued an order of banditry combat right there in the first years of Soviet rule.

One more building - a modern international automatic telephone exchange attracts tourists and citizens’ attention. Before that there was a polytechnic, then an art gallery in this building. Although, according to historical documents, this building was initially erected as a building for a female gymnasium.

The National Museum of History and Culture of Belarus is located in this street. And in the 19th century, the board of the State Bank was located in the same building.

Podgornaya Street was renamed into Karl Marx Street with the advent of Soviet authorities. This name has survived to this day. Practically, all the buildings in the street were constructed in the 1930s, or in the first post-war years. If you look at the buildings, it's easy to notice, that all of them are either four-story or five-storey buildings, that gives a special historical uniqueness to this street.

Nothing has changed in the street with the course of time, every second building in it is a monument of history or architecture.

Today, Karl Marx Street in Minsk is foot one. This street is loved by tourists, city guests and by Minsk dwellers themselves, as various artists, dancers, clowns, creative groups perform there on weekends.