Island of Tears (Minsk)

Belarus / Minsk / Minsk
 interesting place, war memorial, artificial island
A small footbridge leads from the Old Town to the Island of Tears, a memorial set up in 1988 to commemorate Belarusian soldiers who died in the USSR's disastrous, 9-year war in Afghanistan (1979-1988). The centrepiece of the memorial is the chapel, with haunting figures of grieving mothers, sisters and widows at its base. A nearby fountain features the boy-like figure of an angel, rigged up to cry teardrops. You may notice (if you happen to be looking) that a certain part of his anatomy is shinier than the rest. This is explained by the Belarusian tradition of newlyweds visiting war memorials on their wedding day, and a modern folk belief that if the bride gropes this poor young lad's privates, she'll be guaranteed children.
W.Hadi & T.Balalifard
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   53°54'34"N   27°33'16"E

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  • T.Balalifard
This article was last modified 13 years ago