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Gomel

Welcome to Gomel!

Each city has its own history and distinct features. Gomel is not an exception in this respect. The city is considered to be the greenest one in the whole of Belarus. It is literally drowning in green. There are 11 parks and 58 public gardens, occupying an area 660 hectares. Gomel is the only city in Belarus, which was mainly constructed by a private family at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 20h centuries and that is why it has a classical appearance further being combined with the impressive Soviet architecture and the remained patriarchal wooden houses and newly built brilliant contemporary pieces of architecture. It is a fascinating experience to walk and drive round this ancient city both old and young. From May to October a city tour can be completed with a fascinating boat trip (single-deck or double deck ships) along the Sozh River.

Read about Gomel

It is a good idea to start the acquaintance with the city with a sightseeing tour "Gomel - the city over the Sozh"

 The tour includes:

• Sovetskaya Street is the main and perhaps the most beautiful street in the city. It is lined with public and residential buildings in the "Stalin's Empire» style, built after the war. Some beautiful buildings of the Tsar-era in the classical style have been preserved. The architectural dominant of the street is a preserved building of the former Russian-Asian Bank, designed by St. Petersburg architect O. Munz. To make it more monumental the architect completed the corner semi-circular part of the construction with a high hollow drum and a dome. In the center of the drum there is a figure of the Mercury – God of Trade and Business and an allegorical female statue. Currently, the building houses the Gomel Branch of the National Bank of Belarus.
• Building of the Gomel circus is one more expressive element of the Street. It consists of several volumes crowned with a sloping spherical dome above the bowl-shaped amphitheater for almost 2,000 seats. Its construction allows to demonstrate any complex programs, including such as "Circus on ice" and "Circus on water". Stairs leading to the circus are adorned with a bronze sculpture of the most favorite clown of the Soviet period “Karandash” (a Pencil) with his faithful dog "Klyaksa" (a blot). Light and music fountain, installed in front of the circus and the adjacent well-groomed area attract many residents and visitors of the city.
• Next to the circus there is Gomel Puppet Theatre. In the adjacent area there stand bronze statues of the main characters of the popular children’s fairy tale "Pinocchio".
• Small public gardens attach special color to the street. One of them is the former “Gorodskoy” boulevard, now “Pionerskiy” Public Garden. Next to the Garden there is a stone house of  Dr. Meyer, a hospital and a pharmacy which were built under Nicholay Rumyantsev.  Now regional Philharmonic Society works in the survived building of the pharmacy. In July 1983 a bronze bust in honor of the twice Hero of the Socialist Labor, a native of Gomel region, former Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko was installed in the park. Next to the  public garden  there is the tallest building in Gomel (191 m) - Gomel television tower.
• Rumyantsev - Paskevich Palace and Park Ensemble is one of oldest and significant architectural and cultural monuments not only of Gomel but in the whole country. The construction of the palace was launched at the end of the 18th century when Belarus was included in the Imperial Russia. The palace was built on a high bank of the Sozh River wherefrom a great view on the river opened. It is believed to be designed by a talented architect B.E Starov, the one who created some wonderful buildings in St. Petersburg with the famous Tauride Palace among them. The palace was built on the order of the count Pyotr Rumyantsev, the first owner of the city. The palace was built in the harmonious classical style of architecture. That was the architectural style that started to develop in Russia under Catherine the Great. The palace was subsequently inherited by Pyotr Rumyantsev’s son Nikolay, significant politician, According to the British architect John Clark two-storied additions were added on either side of the Palace. Gradually the palace started to acquire features of the museum with the accommodation of paintings by Nickolay Rumyantsev and other unique exhibits in its halls. Subsequent owner of the Palace was general field marshal Ivan Paskevitch. He introduced certain changes to the Palace and it was on his order that the imposing 39 m tower was added. Today the museum contains 220 thousand exhibits. The most interesting collections: memorial items of the Paskeviches; archeological, ethnographical, numismatic collections, ancient books.
• Address: 4, Ploshchad Lenina, Gomel, 246050, Republic of Belarus
• Tel.: + 375 232 70-38-18
• Website: www.palacegomel.by
• Gomel Park is the most beautiful in the modern Belarus. The park was created on the territory adjacent to the palace on the initiative of Count Nikolai Rumyantsev and with the participation of a renowned British architect John Clark in a classic style and occupies an area of about 25 hectares. Today there are more than 6, 000 trees - here in harmony grow birch, pine, cedar, spruce, ash, chestnut, walnut Manzhurskiy and other types of trees. Gomel Park consists of two parts, separated by a pond called "Lebyazhiy” (swan’s pond)" where one can see a large number of fountains and numerous swans and ducks swimming in the pond. To get from the left side of the park where the Palace is to the right side one has to walk through the bridge over the “Lebyazhiy” pond. It is from that spot that a magnificent view onto the Sozh River opens. It is worth strolling along the embankment of the Sozh River. It is well paved and equipped with comfortable benches. There is a monument to Radim – a legendary founder of Gomel.

Other architectural and historic buildings are to be found on the territory of the park:

• Peter and Paul Cathedral - one of the largest places of worship in Belarus. It was built in the years of 1809-1819 according to a design of  the British architect John Clark in the classical style. This cruciform- domed church looks majestic even now two centuries later. Inside the church, on the left side of the transept there is a tomb of Count Pyotr Rumyantsev. There is copy of the sculpture "The Goddess of Peace" by the Italian master A. Canova above the tomb. There are extraordinary icons on the walsl and in the iconostasis of the cathedral, including a copy of the painting by the Italian artist A. Correggio. At the present time it is the main Orthodox Church in Gomel.
• Chapel with a burial vault of the Paskeviches is in the northern part of the park. It is an example of the so-called neo-Russian style of architecture. The façade of the building is decorated with multicolored majolica tiles with floral ornaments executed by local craftsmen. The burial-vault is shaped as an extended tunnel and is situated under the ground. Eight representatives of the Paskeviches, including General Field Marshal Ivan Pashkevich and his spouse E. Paskevich, nee Griboyedova, are buried here. The entrance into the burial vault is through a small pavilion which is also a remarkable piece of architecture.
• Winter Garden was created in 1877 on the orders of the Count Ivan Paskevich in one of the workshops of the sugar factory. Winter garden began with a greenhouse, which was heated by two huge Russian stoves, put in the basement. Inside the walls of the greenhouse were lined with natural minerals.

• Lenin Square, former Sovetskaya and Theatrical, is the main and the largest one in the city. There is a bronze statue of V.I. Lenin, put on a high pedestal of red granite. Most of the buildings, surrounding the square, were constructed after World War II. The architectural dominant of the square is a magnificent Gomel Regional Drama Theatre, built in classism with a façade, decorated with powerful columns and a portico,  attaching the building a solemn and monumental character.  
• Next to the theater in September 2004 in the nearby park a monument to Kirill Turovskiy – a bishop, author of numerous sermons and prayers, famous poet, philosopher and preacher, was opened. A bronze statue is 3.5 meters high and is placed on a two-meter granite pedestal. In the hands Cyril Turovsky holds a scroll on which the sculptors have placed the text of his prayer: "O, Blessed Lord, save us, this town and this country from all evil." The park was given the name of this famous person. Other buildings, surrounding the square are a 14-storied House of Communication, the highest construction in the city, “Belarus" restaurant and Palace of Sports.
• Building of the Railway station is also a kind of attraction. It was built in 1948 and reflects Stalin era in the architecture. Before the entrance into the station one comes across a modern sculpture of a “Traveler", sitting on his old bag with the engraved names of the cities he has visited; Zhmerinka, Tel Aviv, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, London and others.

Museums:

Picture Gallery named after Vashchenko

Picture Gallery, named after Vashchenko, is accommodated in the reconstructed building of the 19th century. The gallery is named after Gavril Vashchenko, native of the Gomel region, a famous contemporary artist, professor and academician of painting, whose works are exhibited in 28 museums of the world. Vashchenko was recognized the "Man of the 20th Century” and the "Man of the Year of 1992” by the International Cambridge Biographical center. Works of the master as well as works of some other contemporary artists are exhibited on the second floor of the museum. The first floor is used for temporal exhibitions.

• Address: 4, Karpovicha Street, Gomel, Republic of Belarus
• Tel.: + 375 232 77-75-20
• Website: www.vaschenko.by

Gomel Regional Museum of Military Glory

This is a new museum, opened in 2004. Alexander Lukashenko, president of Belarus, participated in the opening ceremony. The exhibits are accommodated on two floors in eight halls and number 35, 000. One can trace a military history of the Gomel region since ancient times to the present day. A large part is dedicated to the history of World War II. An open air exhibition of military weapons of the 20th century, including 35 units provokes, a great interest among the visitors and display: self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon ZSU-23-4 "Shilka", airborne combat vehicle "BMD-1". There is a local exposition  a "Partisan Town” and a "Sanitary Wagon” that operate in the open-air area. A pneumatic shooting gallery is operating.

• Address: 5, Pushkina Street, 246050, Gomel, Republic of Belarus
• Tel.: + 375 232 77-51 41
• Website: milglory.gomel.museum.by

Museum of History of Gomel

The museum is accommodated in the estate, called “House for Summer Residence”, constructed at the end of the 19th century in the Empire style. The department “History of Gomel from the ancient time to the beginning of the 20th century” includes items, found on the territory of Gomel: coins, documents, photographs, projects of buildings, signed by famous architects and etc. One can see recreated interiors of the estate of the 19th -20th centuries that includes a living room, a bedroom and a cabinet. One can learn about everyday life of families, living in such houses, feel the atmosphere of the bygone years. One can also stroll through improvised streets of the city to find oneself at the railway station, in a photo shop, grocery and at the market.

• Address: 7, Kommunarov Street, Gomel, Republic of Belarus
• Tel.: + 375 232-29-05-45
• Website: www.gomelhistory.museum.by