While strolling through the Upper Town of Minsk, you can visit the small but fascinating Museum of the Minsk Horse Tram. This museum is dedicated to the history of urban transport in the capital of Belarus and is one of the most unusual and atmospheric places for tourists interested in the history and culture of the city.
The horse tram, or "konka," was the predecessor of the modern tram—a horse-drawn railway that appeared in Minsk in 1892. It marked an important stage in the development of the city`s infrastructure, connecting different districts and making travel around the city more convenient. The horse tram cars moved along rails, pulled by horses. This was the first form of public transport in Minsk, which operated until 1928, when it was replaced by electric trams.
The Museum of the Minsk Horse Tram is housed in a building designed to resemble an old tram stop. The exhibition features authentic artifacts related to the history of the horse tram: vintage photographs, tickets, route maps, parts of the carriages, and even a life-sized model of a horse tram.
A particular highlight is the reconstructed horse tram carriage, which visitors can enter to experience what it was like to be a passenger in the late 19th century. The interior of the carriage is recreated with remarkable accuracy: wooden seats, wrought-iron details, and curtains on the windows—this is how public transport in Minsk looked more than a century ago.
