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Island of Tears, Minsk

4.5
#4 of 174 in Things to do in Minsk
Monument · Tourist Spot
At Island of Tears, a sculpture of a guardian angel cries for Belarusian soldiers who died in the war in Afghanistan. Cross a flying arch bridge to get to the artificial island, also known as the "island of courage and sorrow." You'll see a large boulder with a bronze icon of the Mother of God at its entrance. In the center of the island is a memorial chapel surrounded by statues of mourning widows, mothers, and sisters. There are more than 770 names of Belarusians who died in Afghanistan inscribed on the walls of the chapel. The island’s surface is uneven; the many stones are meant to represent Afghan mountains. Willows, leaning over the water, symbolize sorrow. Use our Minsk trip itinerary site to visit Island of Tears on your trip to Minsk, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.
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Island of Tears reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
964 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • By SteveRainville99
    The island is really small, but has a ton of charm with some neat statues. There's a lot of history depicted there, and I highly recommend visiting it.  more »
  • By 82_Edward
    One of the historical and famous places in Minsk. It symbolizes the memory of the Soviet internationalist soldiers who performed their military duty in Afganistan.  more »
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Google
  • By te sim
    Thoughtful descriptions about Island of Tears. Thank you
  • By Adam Kremer
    A heartbreaking memorial site for the soldiers who died in the war in Afghanistan.
See more on Google »

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