The hamlet of Khatyn, 55km north of Minsk, was burned to the ground by the Nazis on 22 March 1943. Of a population of 149 (including 85 children), only one man, Yuzif Kaminsky, survived. The site is now a sobering memorial not just to Khatyn but to all of the innocent victims and defenseless villages wiped out by the Nazis when they overran Belarus in WWII.
The Unconquered Man, a statue of Kaminsky carrying a small child, is one of the more moving images at this sprawling complex, where memorial obelisks dedicated to each slaughtered family chime in unison at 30-second intervals. Near the parking lot there's an exhibit of art and photographs – some quite disturbing. Tours of the complex are offered in Russian.
Khatyn is 3km off the Minsk–Vitebsk highway. There is no public transport from Minsk; a taxi will cost about BYN80 return.