Yanka Kupala Park runs along the east bank of the Svislach River in the city centre, providing a green corridor in the otherwise dense urban landscape. It is named for the Belarusian national poet, and his memorial stands in the park. The surrounding riverbanks have been landscaped as a promenade, and the park is a popular spot for an evening walk, particularly among students from the nearby university.
The park connects to a string of riverside green spaces that run south through the city. Along the way you pass the amphitheatre where outdoor concerts are held in summer, and a number of Soviet-era sculptures and memorials. The Svislach River is narrow enough here that you can see across to the Troitsky Predmestye old town quarter, and the view of the old town buildings reflected in the water is one of the more photogenic in Minsk.