Opened on June 16, 2006 and the work of architects Mihail Vinogradov and Viktor Kramarenko, the Belarusian National Library is well worth a trip out of the centre for a closer inspection. Standing at 72 metres tall and boasting an impressive 22 floors, the extraordinary rhombicuboctahedron construction houses 20 state-of-the-art reading rooms, has full disabled access, contains its very own Book Museum, lights up at night and even has an observation point on top for superb views of the city reached via a ride in a glass lift that clings to the edge of the building. A statue of the 16th-century father of Belarusian literature, Francysk Skaryna stands near the entrance, whilst membership is open to anyone in possession of a valid passport regardless of nationality.