Upper Town (Verkhni Gorod) is Minsks historic and cultural heart, originally the site of earliest settlements in the 12th century. Located on a hill overlooking the Svislach River, it became the administrative center after 16th-century fires necessitated rebuilding. Today, Freedom Square features the reconstructed Minsk Town Hall (2003) housing the Museum of Minsk History, the baroque Holy Spirit Cathedral (17th century), and the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Crew and Vojt with a Key sculptures add artistic character to this beautifully restored district.