The Bernardine monastery was founded by two brothers Andrew and Ian Kosowskimi in 1624. Andrew Kosowski, being Krasnoselskaya warden, was able to obtain a permit for the construction of the wooden Church of the Bernardine order.

The Bernardines in Belarus called the Franciscans-observant - a branch of the Franciscan religious order associated with the name of St. Bernardin of Siena. The Bernardine played a significant role in the development of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus. They assisted the poor and sick, they built shelters, taught children. Means the Bernardine collected through the local villages, often donations received in kind, so when Bernardine monasteries arose markets.

Very quickly built a wooden Church and placed under the seat of the Bernardines of the wooden house has grown a quarter. However, during the great fire in Minsk in 1644 the wooden structure burned down.

In 1652, was erected a stone Church of St. Joseph, the Chosen one blessed Mary the virgin and monastery building. Subsequently the building of the monastery was repeatedly burned and rebuilt. Thanks to the popularity of Bernardines in the people, in the monastery they came all the new people. For the Bernardine sisters, was built a separate monastery. Occupied by monastic buildings, the quarter was called Bernardine. It was located between the streets of Large and Small Bernardine, Zubitskiy and the Upper area of the market. The monastery housed a hospital, school, stables, brewery and other outbuildings.

During a thorough restructuring in 1752, the monastery acquired the features of the Baroque style.

Russian authorities complained Bernardine, because they lived according to its own Charter and was a state within a state. So, in 1863, Bernardine supported the January national liberation uprising in Poland, for which the monastery was confiscated by the authorities.

For all subsequent half-century buildings of a former monastery were occupied by different civilian needs. The building of the Bernadine convent was returned to the Orthodox Church. In the great monastic quarter, the Cathedral of St. Joseph is now the archive of scientific and technical documentation. In the current plans of the authorities of Minsk does not include the transfer of the temple to the Catholics, it is planned to open a hotel complex.