Khoiniki

Khoiniki were officially founded in 1512, and was first mentioned only in 1532. The name comes from the word «needles». There are many forests in the city and around it, so such a name was given.

Town status was received on October 10, 1967. It is located in the southeast of Gomel region. Since 1919, Khoiniki was part of the RSFSR and began to enter the BSSR in 1926. The city was well-developed and a variety of plants worked here in the 19th century: iron-working, distilleries, a sawmill, and others. There were two water mills, schools, and more than twenty shops.

The city was captured by German troops in 1918; the same fate befell it during World War II. As a result, two partisan groups were formed: one in honor of the name of Suvorov and the second in honor of Chapayev.

200 civilians were killed and more than 5,000 were died at the front. The city was liberated in 1943.

The city's boundaries expanded with its development. The nearest settlements were attached. The population is more than 12 thousand people.

The Chernobyl accident has been extremely reflected on the city. Khoiniki are among the most affected by this disaster.

Despite this, the city has a lot to see.

Holy Protection nunnery founded in 1705 in honor of the Holy Virgin. The main relic of the temple is a copy of the icon Mother of God "Blessed Heaven", which is presented as a token of gratitude, when came to ask for the princess Agafia’s hand. The church was closed by the local authorities in 1922, and it was looted and completely destroyed in 1928. Stone Pokrovsky temple was rebuilt after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1988. The iconostasis and the walls were painted by Russian and Ukrainian artists. A women's monastic hermitage was formed at the church, and later in 1999, it was transformed into a monastery. There is the Our Lady of Kazan, which is presented as a gift by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia. A Sunday school is always open to children.

A monument of Sorrow tells us about Chernobyl disaster, with the names of villages knocked out on a marble slab that disappeared forever from the map of Belarus.

However, Khoiniki is a strong city, which endured everything. It actively develops and becomes a modern city.

Manor of Abraham Khoiniki is a park art, which located in the city center. It was founded in the 20th century. We can see the date 1912 on the main facade, which means the year when the construction works of homestead was completed, and two letters “A” stands for Andrew Abraham – a merchant, who was the owner of the estate. It is a monument of eclectic architecture, made of brick; it has two floors and an annex in the form of a square tower. There are also a vestibule and a terrace. Khoiniki museum is located in the manor mow.

There is also a military burial "Mass grave. 1943" in honor of the soldiers killed in the Great Patriotic War, in the civil cemetery in Khoiniki.

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