Gomel

The city of Gomel: the pearl of the Polesie of Belarus

One of the largest cities in Belarus and the second most populous is the city of Gomel. According to the latest census, about 520 thousand people live here. The majority of the population are Belarusians, 10% are Russians, and quite a few are Ukrainians. This city is located in the southeastern part of the country on the full-flowing Sozh River, near the border with Russia and Ukraine. According to general data, the terrain of the city is quite flat with small slopes. Long and boundless beaches stretch along the banks of the Sozh River.

The origin of the name of the city has a lot of conflicting opinions. According to the most popular version, the city got its name from the Gomenyuk stream, which flows into the Sozh River. Scientists tend to this version most of all, because this is the most common case of the origin of the names of many cities and villages throughout the country.

The beauty and cleanliness of the city of Gomel simply fascinates and delights.

History of the city of Gomel

The year of birth of the city of Gomel is considered to be 1142. Already at that time there were fortified settlements of the Chernigov Principality. Although the history of these lands began long before the formation of the city - back in the 6th century.

In the 12th - 13th centuries , the area of the city was small and amounted to about 40 hectares . However, crafts and trade relations between the cities of Russia were already developing in it. According to historical data, the city suffered significantly during the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols.

Already in the middle of the 17th century, due to numerous destructions, the number of inhabitants significantly decreased, many crafts disappeared. For the city, this time was a period of decline.

It was only after Gomel became part of the Russian Empire that the city's population began to grow rapidly. Urban infrastructure and industry were developing.

At the end of the 18th century, Count Rumyantsev built a stone palace, which was completed several times by its new owners.

Gomel: the city today and its sights 

The city of Gomel is quite elderly. During the period of its existence, many interesting cultural, historical and architectural monuments have appeared on such a large territory. The city is very culturally developed – there are three operating theaters on the territory - Youth, Drama and Puppet Theater.

The most famous attraction of the city, for which many tourists come to Gomel on an excursion, is the Rumyantsev and Paskevich Palace. This amazing structure is located on the banks of the Sozh River, inside one of the most beautiful parks in all of Belarus. There is a greenhouse and an observation tower in the park. These buildings belong to the palace itself.

On the territory of Gomel there are three working cinemas, a large beautiful circus building, a philharmonic hall, 3 large exhibition halls, as well as a number of museums and architectural monuments of the 18th and 19th centuries. The whole city center is like one big architectural monument. Here, even low-rise residential buildings are of historical value.

The excursion tour to Gomel will be one of the most unforgettable among a number of other cities of the country. Here, in the most secluded places of the city, you can find something interesting and unusual.