There is an opinion that there is absolutely nothing to see in the east of the country. And I also partially agree with this statement. In terms of the number (and scale) of attractions, the Gomel region is noticeably inferior to the western and northern regions of the country. But I’ve written about them before. Therefore, today we will talk about the east of Belarus. What is it worth going to the Gomel region for? And what interesting places should you add to your travel itinerary?
Auto photo: Kasia Syramalot, @palasatka. Almost the Disney Palace is about an hour’s drive from Gomel. For 130 years, the building has never been destroyed, burned or rebuilt. Therefore, today Gatovsky Palace is perhaps the most interesting attraction near Gomel. You can come here for many different reasons. Firstly, the manor looks very beautiful. There are gargoyles on the gutters, and sharp spires above gingerbread facades. And secondly, this building is almost a unique vinaigrette of all kinds of architectural styles and trends for Belarus. There are 36 rooms in the complex and they can be viewed like a historical book. Photo author — Alexey Golubev. Photo source — vk.com/alarmout . For example, the main entrance, decorated with colorful stained glass windows, is Gothic; the dining room with colorful ceilings is neo–Romanesque; and the salon with openwork stucco on the ceiling and walls is completely Moorish style, which is rarely found in Belarus. If the Gatovsky manor had been located in Gomel, it would certainly have become a real symbol of the city. But it so happened that this gingerbread palace was built in a small village called Krasny Bereg. Therefore, not everyone knows about him even in Gomel today. Auto photo: Kasia Syramalot, @palasatka. How to get there? By train from Gomel railway station. Travel time is 1 hour. The cost of tickets is 9-16 BYN one way. See the flight schedule on the websiteRW.BY . Despite the fact that Krasny Bereg is a very small town with 2,000 inhabitants, you can come here not only for the sake of the beautiful Gatovsky estate, but also for the sake of one infamous place from the Second World War. In the 40s, there was a children’s concentration camp here, the prisoners of which were used to collect blood, which was subsequently sent to wounded Germans.Red Coast and the palace with gargoyles
Red Coast and shadows of World War II
Relatively recently, a monument was erected at the site of the tragedy. In the center of it is a sculpture of an emaciated girl. Behind it is a school classroom with empty desks; and next to it is a “Ship of Hope” with a list of all the dead children by name. Around the memorial there are children’s drawings decorated in the form of stained glass windows. And on the blackboard, instead of the lesson topic, there are the words of Katya Susanina, taken from her suicide letter to her father.
How do I find this place? Walking distance. It is a little more than 1 km from the Gatovsky estate. From the railway station “Krasny Bereg” – a little less than two.
Belarusian part of the exclusion zone
Here and further — photos from the site zapovednik.by.
Probably everyone has heard about the Ukrainian city of Pripyat. But there is a similar place on the map of our homeland. There are no big cities here, but there are dozens of abandoned villages from where people left in a hurry. Among the dense forests there are hospitals and schools destroyed by time; houses of culture, on the walls of which posters of Soviet leaders still hang, and rusting ships that once transported goods from Mozyr to Kiev.
Today there are 7 tourist routes in these places. Tourists are actively transported here. And it is Gomel that often becomes the starting point for such trips. If you also want to wander among abandoned houses, listen to stories about the Chernobyl tragedy and see how wild bison quietly roam among dilapidated farms, then here is some practical information for you.
How to go to the Polessky Radiation Reserve? First of all, you must understand that you will not be able to go to these places on your own. The administration of the reserve offers guided tours only for organized groups. Therefore, the easiest way to go to these places is with one of the private travel agencies. For example:
- Going to the people (walktofolk.by);
- Pripyat tour (exclusion-zone.by);
- Or Chernobyl tour (chernobyltour.by);
Only adults can go on a trip. The cost of the tour ranges from 150 to 230 BYN. The exact price depends on the city of departure. Tours from Gomel are cheaper, from Minsk – a little more expensive.
Hoists and everything that surrounds them
The author of the photo is @kate.and.nature. Photo from Instagram.
Khoiniki is a small town on the very border of the exclusion zone. The real onesthere are two attractions here:
- An unusual pine-“queen” with branches bent upwards like a crown;
- And the small palace of the Avraamovs, built in 1912, a few years before the October Revolution.
Today it is a neat two-storey building of blue color, turned into an ethnographic museum. Inside there is an exhibition of folk art, weaving, pottery and unique patterned women’s costumes, unlike those made in other parts of Belarus.
If you have a car, you can also go explore the surroundings of Khoynikov. See Melezh House Museum in the village of Glinishche or the numerous “abandoned” villages of Rudakov (including the former manor house of Vankovich). The forgotten monument of neoborokko impresses with the fading beauty and silence of the brick walls. The ceilings have collapsed, the walls are overgrown with moss, but these places are still popular among Belarusian stalkers.
Rogachev: church and monument to condensed milk
Rogachev is probably the most unusual city I’ve ever written about. There is a brutal red brick church in the very center, and in the old cemetery you can see the gloomy chapels of the 19th century, where local nobles were once buried. But it’s worth coming to this city for another reason. Namely, because of the legendary local condensed milk, which, for sure, everyone has tried.
In Rogachev there is a monument to condensed milk, a condensed milk museum and, of course, branded condensed milk shops (at Kirov 31 and Lenin 123). If there is a condensed milk sommelier in your soul who is able to distinguish condensed milk “Antoshka” from condensed milk “Irish cream”, then Rogachev will be an ideal destination for you for a short trip.
How to get there? By train from Gomel railway station. Trains run 6 times a day. A ticket costs an average of 7-11 BYN.
Gomel: music, coffee and open-air film screenings
I understand: the option is obvious. But listing the sights of the Gomel region, it is impossible not to say a few words about its capital. There is a beautiful park by the river, the elegant Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace, the 200-year-old Peter and Paul Cathedral, as well as the longest pedestrian bridge in Belarus.
Personally, I also liked the trendy space “Sozhski hub“, where you can drink craft beer from the brewery of the same name and listen to young musicians. Some interesting events take place here in the cozy chestnut alley almost every week. It can be an open-air movie screening, a joint viewing of a football match or an evening of board games.
If you like coffee, be sure to check out the loft coffee shop The Cler (Lenin, 24), which serves “layered coffee” (hot on top and cold on the bottom).
Photo — @thecler_cafe
And for fans of unusual locations, I can recommend the theme restaurant “Everything is as he likes” (at Biletsky, 4). It is made in the style of the prohibition era, and to get there, you must first find the bell next to the door, and do not forget to name the code word.
How to get to Gomel? By train or minibuses from Minsk. Trains travel faster and cost less, but there are a lot more minibuses, so you can get to Gomel with their help even late in the evening. At the moment, the situation is as follows:
- Train: 3 hours on the way/ticket price 18-26 BYN.
- Minibus: 4 hours on the way/ticket price from 28 BYN.
If you need affordable housing in the city center – pay attention to this apartment. She has perfect reviews and is located in the very center of the city – right on Lenin Avenue. For a romantic weekend– it’s a great option.
Worthy of mention
Korenevka. Photos from social networks. The author of the picture is enigmagarret.
At the very end, I will briefly tell you about several more sights of the Gomel region, which literally fell just short of being included in the main list. These are:
- Hunting lodge of Prince Paskevich in the village of Korenevka;
- The unique Vetkovsky Museum of Old Believers with a rare collection of icons, old printed books (16th-18th centuries), archaeological finds and works of weaving.
- And the village of Halch located next to the Branch with the abandoned Khaletsky manor;
Photo from the social networks of the project @_edemvmeste_. The author is Anna Zakharevich.
You can also remember the city of Rechitsa – with the Holy Trinity Church of the early 20th century, a historical settlement and the futuristic chapel of Euphrosyne of Polotsk, standing by the river. But that’s basically it. As I said at the beginning, there are not so many interesting places in the vicinity of Gomel. If I forgot someone, add me in the comments.
Some tips for those planning a trip to Belarus
You can find affordable housing in different cities of the country on this website. And for planning trips, I recommend three sites:
- RW.BY – trains;
- ticketbus.by – buses;
- and atlasbus.by – minibuses.
With their help, you can easily build a route to almost anywhere in Belarus. And for inspiration, you can read my articles about other regions of our country in advance.
- Where to go from Grodno (by car and without);
- North of Belarus: 17 interesting routes in the Vitebsk region;
- What to see near Brest? The most beautiful places in the south-west of the country.
I’m sure you’ll find something interesting in each of them. And today I just have to say goodbye. Thank you for reading the article to the end. I hope she helped you to get to know the sights of the Gomel region a little better.
