Gomel (in Belarusian / Russian: Гомель, also transliterated as Homel) is the second largest city in Belarus, with around 500,000 inhabitants, and is the capital of the Gomel province.
Understand
Gomel is the second largest city in Belarus and one of the main educational centers in the country. The modern history of Gomel is very much oriented on Chernobyl tragedy, as the city suffered a great radiation shock after the accident, and is still remembered by most citizens as a turning point in their lives. The history of the city is strongly related to the development of Slavic culture in this region, as it was founded in the late 10th century on the lands of the East Slavic tribal union of Radimichs and was part of Kiev Rus, later Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Since it is located on the strategic path from the north to the Black Sea, Gomel was often attacked by armies from the east and west, but despite the attacks, the city gained significant cultural influence from Tsarist Russia, Poland, Ukraine and Western Europe, as on the important trade route to the Black Sea.
Today, the most interesting place to visit in Gomel is its palace and its surrounding park. Situated on the hill above the Sosz river, the palace represents the heart of the city from where the rest of the city center extends in the shape of a triangle determined by two main streets, Lenina and Sovetska. Like most Belarusian cities, Gomel was badly damaged during WWII, and the current form of the city is almost entirely built after the war. Still, the old palace is renovated according to its pre-war appearance and today is a permanent reminder of the fact that there are no bombs or weapons that can destroy its history and significance.
Talk
Russian or Belarusian.
To get
By train or car from Minsk, Kiev Y Moscow.
By plane
Gomel has the second largest airport in Belarus, which however no longer operates international airlines after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In recent years, national air traffic has also been severely restricted. If you still want to travel by plane, you need to go to Kiev (Ukraine) airports and take the train to Belarus.
By train
Gomel can be easily reached by train from major cities in Belarus, as well as from Ukraine and Russia. Regional and long-distance trains run daily, especially on the Minsk - Kiev route.
With the bus
Many bus companies in Germany offer cheap bus trips to Belarus. Some lines also lead to Gomel.
On the street
The main Belarus highway can be reached from the north and south, and from the west and east through the main highway.
By boat
Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was possible to travel by boat from Kiev during the ice-free period. However, the shipment was stopped.
Travel
Homel has an extensive bus / trolley network and several Marschrutka lines. Tickets are available at most stops and on buses at very affordable prices. Taxi rides are cheap, but should only be used with a good knowledge of Russian or with a translator, as communication problems can arise here very quickly.
Watch
Buildings
- Gomel Palace. A park with marble statues, a chapel, a winter garden and the neoclassical Church of the Saints. Pedro and Pablo . An image of the residence appeared on the old 20,000BYR note.
- Train station building (Vakzal Gomel). Beautiful neoclassical building with interiors decorated in the spirit of the 19th century and a dominant Lenin statue on the stairs to the upper floors. It is one of the most important railway hubs in Belarus, as Gomel is on the main line from Saint Petersburg to Kiev. There is a statue of an elderly passenger sitting on a large suitcase with the names of the cities where the express train stops. (updated February 2016 | edit)
- Bauman Bridge .Very nice bridge over the Sosz river with wide views over the nearby beaches and the Gomel Palace. In front of the bridge there is a monument to a fisherman on a boat.
Museums
- Museum of Crafts
- Museum of Military Glory. Dedicated to the military history of the city of Gomel.
Do
- Palace and park complex. In addition to the museum with preserved interior elements from the 19th century, located in the Rumyantsev-Paskevich palace, the ensemble includes: a picturesque park, which can be accessed at any time of the day or night, a well-maintained Sozh embankment and a swan pond. For those who are used to traveling with children, there are attractions in the park. There is also the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. In the immediate vicinity of the park is the regional drama theater (Lenin Square, 1), the Avenue café (Lenin Avenue, 3) and the Art Café (Sovetskaya street, 2), as well as the Yunost dining room (Lange street; in building from the University of Medicine).
- Historical Center. Well-preserved buildings from the late 19th century can be seen in the triangle of Pobedy-Sovetskaya-Lenin Avenue streets. In the vicinity, you can find a circus, a museum of military glory (Pushkin, 5), a museum of the history of Gomel (Pushkin, 30), an art gallery named after G. Kh. Vaschenko (Karpovich, 4), many cafes and shops. Mar 2015
- Park "Festival". It occupies approximately half of the rectangle Interurban Street-Rechitskoe Highway-Volgogradskaya Street-Oktyabrya Avenue. Filled with modern sculptures, mostly metal. From the center you can get there by bus or trolley bus (get off at the "Festivalny Palace of Culture" stop). Near the very palace of culture there is a sculpture "Robot Quartet", then - a park named after Yanka Kupala, from which you will enter the park. Nearby, the Luch football stadium and the church of San Miguel (architecturally uninteresting).
- Market. The Gomel Central Market occupies a huge area bounded by Karpovich-Katunin-Gagarin-Krestyanskaya streets. Nearby are the Secret and Europe shopping centers.
To eat
Cheap
- Batski, st. Soviet, 12. Fast food restaurant. Delicious Belarusian cuisine. February 2018 edit
Average cost
- Restaurant "Irina" (Lenin Avenue, 33)
Go out and drink
- SQUARE: Gomel, st. Soviet, 66th
- Rest club "Bravo": Gomel, st. Rechytskaya
- Club nemo: Gomel, st. Embankment, 2
Sleep
- Hotel Homel (next to the train station). Nice room, good location. Telephone Internet access available in the room. The staff spoke good English.Price: $ 60 / individual.
- Paradise Hotel (Парадиз Отель), Station Square, 1. ☎ 375 (232) 77-41-11. The rooms are very new and clean. Most of the employees speak English very well.
Stay safe
In any case, it should be noted that the Gomel region is one of the areas most polluted by the Chernobyl disaster. Therefore, care must be taken when choosing food (especially in the surrounding towns). However, radioactive radiation in and around Gomel is only seriously dangerous if you stay long.