Nagasaki Bell

Nagasaki Bell is a monument erected in Minsk at Independence Square in September 2000. It is located next to the Red Church and the sculpture of Archangel Michael. The memorial is dedicated to the memory of the victims of nuclear disasters, such as the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and the Chernobyl disaster. The bell is an exact replica of the Japanese "Angel," which survived the atomic strike on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The original bell was found under the rubble of the destroyed Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki. It was later installed in the city center as a symbol of the horrors of war. The monument in Minsk symbolizes the friendship between the peoples of Belarus and Japan and their common aspirations for peace and security. The main element of the memorial is the bell, suspended on a wooden structure with crosses. A special feature of this monument is the ability for anyone to ring the bell by pulling on a rope. At the base of the monument are capsules with soil from Jerusalem, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukushima, Chernobyl, as well as from the Novaya Zemlya and Semipalatinsk test sites, emphasizing the global nature of nuclear disasters. During the opening of the monument, the rector of the Japanese Urakami Cathedral, Shiyochi Mimura, noted the importance of cultural and spiritual ties between Belarus and Japan. The memorial serves as a reminder of the terrible consequences of nuclear disasters, especially significant for Belarus, which experienced the Chernobyl accident in 1986. The monument is located in the historic part of Minsk, next to the Church of Saints Simon and Helena, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Next to the church, there is a square with a fountain and the sculpture "Giving Love," making this place attractive for walks and relaxation. Nagasaki Bell is a symbol of peace and a warning about the destructive consequences of nuclear conflicts, preserving the memory of the victims of tragedies and reinforcing the desire for a peaceful future.