Minsk. Cultural spiritual and educational center "Ark".

In October 2022, the unique cultural spiritual and educational center "Ark" opened its doors in Minsk. Located at 164 Dolginovsky Tract, it has become a new large-scale project of the St. Elizabeth Convent and a kind of "gateway" to the place for all pilgrims and guests of the capital.

From the outside, the building impresses with its architecture. Made in the traditions of Russian architecture of the XVI–XVII centuries, its wedge-shaped shape resembles the bow of a huge ship. This metaphor becomes the leitmotif of the whole project: just as the Old Testament Noah's Ark became a salvation in the sea of life, so this center is designed to become a quiet harbor, a place that unites people away from the hustle and bustle and negative news.

Inside, the Ark is no less surprising. The interiors, created by the hands of the monastery's craftsmen, represent a synthesis of eras and styles - from biblical Palestine to modern minimalism. The main theme of the decor was water: visitors step on the illuminated glass floor, imitating sea waves, and overhead they see lampshades in the form of silver raindrops. The dome of the concert hall, consisting of 36 "rays" decorated with multicolored smalt, deserves special attention.

The Ark is not just a cultural temple, but a multifunctional space open to people of all ages and faiths who respect Orthodox values. The four floors of the center include a modern concert hall with 600 seats, a cozy music lounge with a white grand piano, theater and art lounges, a large-screen video room, exhibition spaces and a choreography class.

For families with children, there is a children's lounge "Korablik" (Little ship), and you can have a snack and have a good time in a cafe with a monastery kitchen, the interior of which is stylized as a ship's deck with separate "cabins".

Today, the Ark is the main venue for the largest Orthodox forums in the country. It is here that the international festivals "Joy" take place - both Christmas and Easter. The festival program brings together hundreds of participants from all over the world: concerts of sacred music, performances of the Batleika Theater, film screenings, meetings with writers and psychologists.

Creative studios for children and adults are constantly operating in the center: music, vocal, theater and art, there is a parent and film club. Here everyone can find something to do, be inspired by beauty and touch something real, something eternal.