| | Belarus
| People |
| Population |
9.7 million (July 2007 est.) |
| Religion |
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) |
| Languages |
Belarusian, Russian, other |
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Culture
The culture of Belarus was under the influence of cultures of its neighbours: Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians, Russians, and other European nations. Traditional Belarusian dress originates from the time of Kievan Rus. Belarusian cuisine is very close to Lithuanian.
Belarus is famous for its opera and ballet. Theatres like the Opera and Ballet Theater in Minsk hold regular and well-attended performances. Belarus is also famous for musical comedy. Drama also plays a central role in the culture of Belarus, with the leading drama theater being the Yanka Kupala Beslarusian State Academic Theater, located in Minsk.
The annual cultural festivals include "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk"; "Minsk Spring"; "Slavonic Theatrical Meetings"; International Jazz Festival; National Harvesting Festival; "Arts for Children and Youth"; "Muses of Niesvizh"; "Mir Castle"; and the National Festival of the Belarusian Song and Poetry.
Art & Architecture
The best samples of Belaurs’ town architecture, ancient fortresses and castles, town halls and churches, peoples’ dwellings reflect the spirit and the talent of the nation. Belarus displays a number of architectural styles: Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance. But the dominating style of the Belarusian architecture is Baroque. The palace ensembles in Nesvizh, Ruzhany, Golshany, churches and cloisters in Grodno, Mogiliov and Slonim amaze visitors by their decorative splendor.
The most well known building in Belarus is Mir Castle, a World Heritage site. The others include the majestic St Sophia’s Orthodox Cathedral, and The castles in Novogrudok, Krevo, Lida and Medniki. The examples of fortified churches can be seen in Synkovichi, Murovanka, and Kamai. The strict division of religious and defensive parts is their distinctive feature.
Modern buildings include high-rise apartments, office blocks and hotels. |
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