Gomel
Gomel
Гомель Homyel | |
---|---|
City | |
, Gomel Nativity of Virgin Mary Church, and Gomel City Council (left to right) | |
UTC+3 (MSK) | |
Postal code | 246xx, 247xxx |
Area code | +375 232(2) |
License plate | 3 |
Website | www |
Gomel (
Etymology
There are at least six narratives of the origin of the city's name. The most plausible is that the name is derived from the name of the stream Homeyuk, which flowed into the
The first appearance of the name, as "Gomy", dates from 1142.[2] Up to the 16th century, the city was mentioned as Hom', Homye, Homiy, Homey, or Homyi. These forms are tentatively explained as derivatives of an unattested *gomŭ of uncertain meaning.[3] The modern name for the city has been in use only since the 16th or 17th centuries.
History
Under Kievan Rus'
Gomel was founded at the end of the 1st millennium AD on the lands of the
In the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
In 1335, the Gomel region was joined to the
During the Second
In 1560, the city's first
After the beginning of the struggle against
In the Russian Empire
-
Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky(1725–1796)
-
Nikolay Petrovich Rumyantsev(1754–1826)
-
Sergei Petrovich Rumyantsev (1755–1838)
-
Ivan Fyodorovich Paskevich(1782–1856)
-
Fyodor Ivanovich Paskevich (1823–1903)
-
Irina Ivanovna Paskevich (1835–1925)
Gomel became part of the Russian Empire after the first partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1772 and was confiscated by the imperial treasury. In 1775, Empress Catherine II gave Gomel and Gomel eldership in the eternal hereditary possession of Russian military commander Pyotr Rumyantsev.
The period when Gomel was part of the Russian Empire was marked by rapid growth of the population, urban infrastructure, and industrial capacity, predominantly after the construction of railways in the late 19th century.[4][5]
After the death of Nikolay Rumyantsev, the city came in possession of his brother Sergei Petrovich Rumyantsev. However, due to lack of money, Sergei indebted Gomel with the state treasury of the Russian Empire. Subsequently, after not being able to pay off the debt, the treasury sold the city. Gomel Palace was acquired by Prince Ivan Paskevich, and the rest of the city by Nicholas I (1838). Paskevich had an English garden made around the palace, which is still in place today. In 1856, the estate passed on to his son Fyodor Ivanovich Paskevich.
The construction of railways in the territory of Belarus in the late 19th century (Libau–Romny Railway in 1873 and Polesia railway in 1888) made Gomel a major railway junction and "attracted in the town many businessmen, caused the establishment of banks, firms and factories, which in turn changed the pastoral and provincial character of a bygone Gomel into a trading and mercantile one"[6]
By 1913, Gomel was a major industrial city with 104,500 inhabitants. Nearly 44% of its industrial output was metalworking, with large workshops servicing the rolling stock of Libau–Romny Railway and Polesia railway. Other significant industries were timber processing, match manufacturing, breweries and churning.[7]
Ukrainian period
Preceding the treaty of Brest-Litovsk, on 1 March 1918 the city was occupied (the Executive Committee of the Gomel Council of Workers' Deputies had left already on 21 February) by German forces.[8] In March 1918 the city became part of Chernihiv Governorate of the Ukrainian State.[8] After the overthrow of the Ukrainian State Gomel was administered by the Ukrainian People's Republic for 25 days.[8]
Soviet period
On 14 January 1919, Gomel was occupied by the Red Army. In March 1919, the largest uprising against the
In 1919, Gomel became the centre of the
By 1940, 264 industrial enterprises had been established.
World War II
During World War II, Gomel was under Nazi occupation from 19 August 1941 until 26 November 1943. The city was taken by Rokossovsky's Belorussian Front during the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive. Eighty percent of the city was destroyed. The population of Gomel had dropped dramatically. According to the data of the registry, the population of Gomel numbered less than 15,000 inhabitants, compared to 144,000 in 1940.
Post-war period
After the war, restoration of Gomel began promptly. The majority of pre-revolutionary buildings were lost. City streets were considerably expanded, and buildings in Stalinist style were erected. In 1950, almost all of the pre-war enterprises resumed their work.
Chernobyl disaster
As a result of the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on 26 April 1986, Gomel suffered radioactive contamination. At the beginning of the 21st century, a scientific centre and practice for radiation medicine and human ecology was built in Gomel to overcome and study the consequences of the catastrophe at Chernobyl.[10]
The development of radiological dose values varies between individual villages in severely contaminated regions, depending on the surroundings and the economic orientation. In general, life is possible in these areas today, even in formerly closed-off zones, if appropriate dietary rules are observed.[further explanation needed][11]
Recent history
On 27 July 1990, the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was drafted. Gomel became a city in the independent state of the Republic of Belarus the following year.
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Gomel became an important base for Russian forces.[12][13]
Population
Population
of Gomel, 1775–2015
1775 | 5,000 |
1858 | 13,700 |
1880 | 23,600 |
1897 | 36,800 |
1913 | 104,500 |
1925 | 81,900 |
1931 | 109,900 |
1939 | 139,000 |
1943 | < 15,000 |
1959 | 168,270 |
1965 | 218,000 |
1970 | 272,253 |
1975 | 337,000 |
1979 | 382,785 |
1985 | 465,000 |
1989 | 500,846 |
1992 | 517,000 |
1999 | 475,000 |
2006 | 479,900 |
2008 | 493,700 |
2010 | 484,300 |
2012 | 507,700 |
2013 | 514,968 |
2014 | 521,225 |
2015 | 526,873 |
In 2013, the city's population numbered 515,325,[14] indicating a positive population growth and hence a reversal of the demographic crisis that began in 1993.
Jewish community
After the annexation of Gomel by the
Geography
Gomel is situated in the southeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the
The terrain on which the city as a whole is built, is flat. On the right bank of the river, it is a gradually decreasing plain water-glacial and
On the left bank of the Sozh many kilometers of beaches can be found.
Climate
Gomel has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). Warm summers and cold winters are caused by frequent arrival of warm sea air masses from the Atlantic and the dominating western transfer. On 7 August 2010, Gomel recorded a temperature of 38.9 °C (102.0 °F), which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Belarus.[18]
Climate data for Gomel (1991–2020, extremes 1927–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 10.0 (50.0) |
15.8 (60.4) |
21.5 (70.7) |
29.3 (84.7) |
32.5 (90.5) |
36.2 (97.2) |
37.9 (100.2) |
38.9 (102.0) |
34.9 (94.8) |
27.5 (81.5) |
18.0 (64.4) |
11.6 (52.9) |
38.9 (102.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.8 (28.8) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
5.3 (41.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
20.5 (68.9) |
23.9 (75.0) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
4.0 (39.2) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
12.2 (54.0) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
1.3 (34.3) |
9.0 (48.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
18.6 (65.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
7.4 (45.3) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
8.0 (46.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.5 (20.3) |
−6.2 (20.8) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
9.8 (49.6) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.4 (59.7) |
14.2 (57.6) |
9.2 (48.6) |
4.0 (39.2) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
4.2 (39.6) |
Record low °C (°F) | −35.0 (−31.0) |
−35.1 (−31.2) |
−33.7 (−28.7) |
−13.6 (7.5) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
6.0 (42.8) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−12.0 (10.4) |
−21.7 (−7.1) |
−30.8 (−23.4) |
−35.1 (−31.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 36 (1.4) |
35 (1.4) |
36 (1.4) |
35 (1.4) |
64 (2.5) |
73 (2.9) |
100 (3.9) |
56 (2.2) |
52 (2.0) |
58 (2.3) |
45 (1.8) |
42 (1.7) |
632 (24.9) |
Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) | 8 (3.1) |
9 (3.5) |
6 (2.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.8) |
5 (2.0) |
9 (3.5) |
Average rainy days | 8 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 144 |
Average snowy days | 18 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.03 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 75 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
86 | 83 | 77 | 66 | 64 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 77 | 81 | 87 | 88 | 77 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 43.3 | 72.5 | 143.9 | 201.3 | 272.6 | 293.7 | 297.9 | 269.9 | 194.4 | 119.9 | 47.0 | 32.1 | 1,988.5 |
Percent possible sunshine | 19 | 25 | 37 | 42 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 45 | 35 | 17 | 13 | 41 |
Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net[19] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: |
Transportation
The public transportation system consists of over 1,000 buses and
A trolleybus network opened on 20 May 1962
Gomel Airport is located 8 km (5 mi) north-east of the city.
Sports
Gomel is home to a wide range of sports facilities that have been developed and improved in recent years. These facilities, including eight stadiums and the Ice Palace, which has two ice arenas, support common activities such as hockey, track and field, and football.
Many of Gomel's sports schools prepare athletes from a young age. Numerous champions have been trained by schools such as these. For example, one school, Gomel's Olympic Reserve Number 4, has trained 97 World and European champions as well as two Olympic athletes. Gomel State College of Olympic Reserve, on the other hand, trains coaches rather than athletes. From this school, 44 graduates have participated in the Olympics, European championships, and World championships.[24] Gomel also participates in the Deaflympics and, between the years 2007–2009, has been awarded: two gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals.[25]
Education
Since 1990, Pavel Sukhoi State Technical University of Gomel and Gomel State Medical University have attracted many international students from countries around the world, including the United States, Germany, China, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Iran and countries in Latin America. Gomel State Medical University provides classes in both English and Russian. Many prominent scientists work here as senior lecturers.
Culture
Throughout the eight hundred-year history of Gomel, only a few sights have been preserved. A small part of them belong to the 1700s and 1800s, the main part belongs to the 20th - 21st centuries. Most of the architectural monuments of the 20th century date back to the 1950s. Most of them are concentrated in the central part of the city.
The Ferris Wheel and the Ferris Tower, located in a park a few hundred meters from the palace complex, are popular for exploring the city. Since the topography of Gomel is relatively flat, the height of the surrounding buildings means it is easy to view the city from the wheel and tower.
Notable residents
- Igor Avrunin (1957–2020), athlete
- Paluta Badunova (1885–1938), a prominent member of the Belarusian independence movement of the early 20th century, the only woman at the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic and a victim of Stalin's purges of 1937-38[26]
- Yitzchak Eizik Epstein (1770–1857), Hasidic rabbi, author of several works of Chabad philosophy[27]
- Yuri Foreman (born 1980), the first Israeli boxing world champion
- Leonid Geishtor (born 1936), Belarusian Olympic champion and world champion sprint canoer
- Elena Ginko (born 1976), athlete
- Boris Nayfeld (born 1947), former Belarusian/Russian mob boss
- Andrei Gromyko (1909–1989), a Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs (1957–1985) and Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1985–1988)
- Gennady Korotkevich (born 1994), competitive programming champion
- NHL
- Aaron Lebedeff, (1873–1960) Yiddish singer
- Dick Manning (1912–1991), American songwriter[28]
- Andrey Melnichenko (born 1972), Russian businessman and billionaire
- Mark Petrokovets (1937–2006), scientist
- Yuri Rydkin (born 1979), poet
- Stanislaŭ Šabunieŭski (1868–1937), architect
- Seryoga (born 1976), rapper
- Larisa Shchiryakova, journalist
- Bella Shumiatcher (1911–1990), pianist and music educator
- Sergei Sidorsky (born 1954), Prime Minister of Belarus from 2003 until December 2010
- Kanstantsin Sivtsov (born 1982), professional road cyclist
- Sergei Tikhanovsky (born 1978), political activist
- Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934), psychologist[29]
- Iryna Yatchanka(born 1965), Belarusian Olympic medal winner
Twin towns – sister cities
- Anapa, Russia
- Armavir, Russia
- Bryansk, Russia
- Burgas, Bulgaria
- Chernihiv, Ukraine
- Cheryomushki (Moscow), Russia
- Clermont-Ferrand, France
- Dnipro, Ukraine
- Donetsk, Ukraine
- Fort Myers, United States
- Harbin, China
- Huai'an, China
- Kaliningrad, Russia
- Krasnoselsky (Saint Petersburg), Russia
- Kurgan, Russia
- Kursk, Russia
- Kutaisi, Georgia
- Liepāja, Latvia
- Magnitogorsk, Russia
- Novi Sad, Serbia
- Omsk, Russia
- Protvino, Russia
- Rostov-on-Don, Russia
- Samara, Russia
- Solomianskyi (Kyiv), Ukraine
- Ulyanovsk, Russia
- Vasileostrovsky (Saint Petersburg), Russia
- Voronezh, Russia
Former twin towns
On 28 February 2022, the Polish city of Radom ended its partnership with Gomel as a reaction to the Belarusian involvement in the
Notes
References
- ^ a b c "Численность населения на 1 января 2023 г. и среднегодовая численность населения за 2022 год по Республике Беларусь в разрезе областей, районов, городов, поселков городского типа". belsat.gov.by. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ Campbell, Heather. "Homyel Belarus". www.britannica.com. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ Этимологический словарь славянских языков: праславянский лексический фонд, под ред. О.Н. Трубачева, вып.7 (Москва, 1980), стр.21.
- ^ Экономика Белорусии в Эпоху Империализма 1900-1917. Под редакцией Г. Ковалевского и др. Минск 1963, стр.413
- ^ Л. Виноградов Гомель. Его Прошлое и настоящее. 1142-1900 г. Москва 1900, стр.35
- ^ Л. Виноградов Гомель. Его Прошлое и настоящее. 1142-1900 г. Москва 1900, стр.35
- ^ Экономика Белорусии в Эпоху Империализма 1900-1917. Под редакцией Г. Ковалевского и др. Минск 1963, стр.88
- ^ Ukrayinska Pravda(19 September 2018)
- ^ Golinkov, D. L. (1975). Krushenie antisovetskogo podpol’ia v SSSR (1917–1925gg.) (in Russian). Vol. 3rd Edition. Moscow: The Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ "The Republican Research Centre for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology". Archived from the original on 1 February 2009.
- ISBN 978-3-95806-181-1. PDF, 10,6 MB
- ^ "Videos show Russian units and missiles advancing toward Ukraine border". Axios. 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ Knutson, Jacob (2022). "Satellite images show increased Russian military buildup near Ukraine". CNN. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ "Belstat.gov.by" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
- S2CID 238861156.
- ^ "The murder sites of the Jews in the occupied territories of the former USSR: Gomel". Yad Vashem. 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "Gomel history". Paul Zoglin. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ Masters, Jeff. "Bolivia ties its all-time heat record". Weather Underground. Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
- ^ КЛИМАТ ГОМЕЛЯ (in Russian). Weather and Climate (Погода и климат). Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Gomel Climate Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Солнечное сияние. Обобщения III часть: Таблица 2.1. Характеристики продолжительности и суточный ход (доли часа) солнечного сияния. Продолжение" (in Russian). Department of Hydrometeorology. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
- ^ "Gomel Transportation Statistics (Russian language)". 13 December 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
- ISBN 0-904235-18-1.
- ^ a b "Gomel Oblast Tourism and sport | Gomel region | Gomel". www.gomel-region.by. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "УО "Гомельский государственный политехнический колледж" - официальный Web-сайт". gomel.belstu.by. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- OCLC 900622615.
- ^ R' Eizik of Homel. Chabad.org. Accessed 20 April 2014.
- ^ "Dick Manning".
- JSTOR 41211493.
- ^ "Partner cities". gomel.gov.by. Gomel. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Radom zerwał współpracę z rosyjskim i białoruskim miastem. Obywatele Ukrainy autobusami będą jeździć za darmo" (in Polish). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Jamie Saunderson (8 March 2022). "Aberdeen ends link with Belarus twin city over support for Russian invasion". Retrieved 21 October 2023.
External links
- Photos on Radzima.org
- History of Gomel
- The Korma-Report (Korma-Studie) of the German Research Centre Juelich (Forschungszentrum Jülich) published new data on internal radiation exposure of the inhabitants of a region close to Gomel more than 20 years after the Chernobyl disaster. The data show a significant decrease of the exposure. Resettlement may even be possible in prohibited areas provided that people comply with appropriate dietary rules.
- Statistical information about Gomel at the Wayback Machine (archived 24 October 2007)
- Map of Gomel
- Infobelarus
- The murder of the Jews of Gomel during World War II, at Yad Vashem website
- Homyel, Belarus at JewishGen