The earliest historic references to Minsk date to the 11th century 1067, when it was noted as a provincial city within the principality of Polotsk. The settlement developed on the rivers. In 1242, Minsk became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It received town privileges in 1499.
Council staff clean a section of the rarely seen Minton tiled floor of the of the grand St. George's Hall on January 4, 2012 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
In this composite image Actress Sophie Marceau has an embarrassing moment as her top falls down while she enters a screening of “Where the Truth Lies” at the Grand Theatre during the 58th International Cannes Film Festival May 13, 2005 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Horse Racing – Crabbie's Grand National Festival – Aintree Racecourse April 10, 2015: Racegoers react during the 17.15 Weatherbys Wealth Management Champion Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race. (Photo by Andrew Boyers/Reuters)
Second placed Kalex Moto2 Tito Rabat (rear R) of Spain and third placed Kalex Moto2 Alex Rins of Spain spray with champagne during the award ceremony for the Czech Grand Prix in Brno, Czech Republic, August 16, 2015. (Photo by David W. Cerny/Reuters)
A model train travels past a scaled model of New York's Grand Central Station built entirely with plant parts during a media preview of the 25th annual Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx borough of New York City, U.S., November 14, 2016. (Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters)
Cardi B performs at the “Night Two At Palms Casino Resort's KAOS Dayclub & Nightclub With Cardi B, G-Eazy, J Balvin For Grand Opening Weekend” event on April 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images for Palms Casino Resort)