Minsk. Part 2: Minsk National

The National Library
The building that is considered to be a diamond, but takes its stand in the list of 50 strange buildings is our national library. Its foundation was laid in 2002 and it had been finished by 2006, while many rumors were being spread... right up to ‘It’s going to fall’. And all the country was donating, I’m afraid, even those, who didn’t need the library:)

 

Total area of ‘the diamond’ is 113 669 square metres and its height is more than 73 metres. There are 2000 places in 20 reading rooms. I can’t say I often visit it, but I did when I was working on my diploma paper and needed newspapers of 1930th. There are galleries, a museum of books, a conference hall, a room for children and even kind a sport-center (the most important thing in the library, I think:), but I was just at lunchroom to take a cup of coffee. If you are interested, you can have a virtual tour around the library.
We also have The National Bank, which is the central one in the country and also is a state body accountable to the President of Belarus (he approves its regulations and determines the organization for its audit). And we have The National Art Museum (the largest collection of art), The National Airport and The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (the highest state scientific organization of Belarus) in Minsk; all are solid, but none is as ‘brilliant’ and arguable as the library.
And what about you? Do you need a library in your life?