Minsk, Belarus' capital can feel bombastic. Think wide avenues lined with monolithic Soviet buildings. The vast squares have monumental centerpieces. Modern skyscrapers and shiny new gold-tipped orthodox churches are everywhere. The streets are clean and well maintained. Everything is in its place in Minsk. Belarus is the capital of a dictatorship after all, so none of this should come as a surprise. Minsk has a full set of everything you'd expect from a former Soviet Republic. But it has the added advantage for the visitor that it hasn't been abandoned, ignored, or torn down. Instead it has been revered, or even celebrated. Among the city's highlights are the striking new National Library building, main market hall, and the shining, newly finished All Saints Church.