The 1990 postcard features the architectural appearance of the Church of Saints Simon and Helena in Minsk, widely known as the Red Church.
What is shown on the postcard
The postcard depicts the monumental building of the Red Church (Church of Saints Simon and Helena), constructed from red brick in a Neo-Gothic style with Art Nouveau elements. Characteristic features include a tall spire on the central tower and two smaller side turrets, pointed windows with stained glass, and decorative elements on the facades. The building is surrounded by a well-maintained lawn, with a fragment of a more modern building and trees visible on the left side of the frame. The inscription «MIHCK» is present in the upper left corner of the postcard.
Historical note
The Church of Saints Simon and Helena was constructed in Minsk between 1905 and 1910, designed by architects Tomasz Pajzderski and Władysław Marconi. Its construction was funded by the Belarusian nobleman Edward Woyniłłowicz in memory of his children, Simon and Helena, who died young, hence the church’s name. Following the October Revolution, the church was closed by Soviet authorities in 1932 and utilized as a Polish State Theatre, and subsequently, from 1975 until November 1990, as a cinema, known as “Dom Kino” (House of Cinema).
Present day
In November 1990, the same year this postcard was issued, the building was returned to the Roman Catholic Church and reconsecrated as a place of worship. Today, the Church of Saints Simon and Helena is an active Catholic church, one of Minsk’s central spiritual sites and a significant architectural monument. It serves as an important symbol of Belarus’s religious and national revival.
Location (map)
Address: Independence Square, 15, Minsk, Belarus
Coordinates: 53.898746, 27.549216
(Google Maps)
Coordinate source: Coordinates are based on the geolocation of the Church of Saints Simon and Helena on Independence Square in Minsk..
Questions and answers
- What building is depicted on the 1990 postcard? The postcard depicts the Church of Saints Simon and Helena in Minsk, also known as the Red Church.
- What was the function of the building in 1990? In 1990, the building was returned to the Roman Catholic Church in November, but prior to that, from 1975, it functioned as “Dom Kino” (House of Cinema).
- When was the Red Church in Minsk built? The Church of Saints Simon and Helena was built in Minsk between 1905 and 1910.
See also
The «Old Postcards» archive includes other views of Minsk from 1990.
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