Church of Saints Simon and Helena (Red Church)

Neo-Romanesque Red Church from 1905 on Independence Square – one of Minsk's most distinctive and photographed buildings.

The Church of Saints Simon and Helena in Minsk – commonly known as the Red Church – is a neo-Romanesque red brick church on Independence Square, completed in 1905. Its vivid red brickwork and slender towers stand in stark contrast to the Soviet-era architecture surrounding the square. It is one of the last surviving pre-revolutionary religious buildings in the Belarusian capital and one of the most photographed buildings in the city. Though temporarily used as a cinema during the Soviet period, it now serves as an active Roman Catholic parish church for Minsk's Polish community.