Gomel. Monument to Irina Paskevich

Irina Ivanovna was born in 1835 in St. Petersburg in the family of Count I. I. Vorontsov-Dashkov, who came from a famous Russian family. At the age of 16, she became the wife of Prince F. I. Paskevich, the son of the famous Field Marshal General. The name of this woman is closely connected with the history of Gomel, the development of education, healthcare, economy and culture in it. Gomel became for her not only her hometown, but also the last shelter on earth. She lived her 90 years with dignity, leaving a grateful memory of herself.

The scale of I. I. Paskevich's charitable activities was unparalleled in Belarus and was significantly distinguished by its scope within the Russian Empire. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a voluntary tax on the rich in favor of the poor was common. The beginning of Princess Irina Ivanovna's charitable activities dates back to 1867, when she began donating 10 silver rubles a month to the women's college located in Spasovaya Sloboda.

In 1878, with her assistance, a student welfare society was established in Gomel, thanks to which children from low-income families were educated free of charge in the city's gymnasiums every year. I. Paskevich was elected Chairman of the Board of the company.

In 1903, after her husband's death, she became the sole owner of the Gomel estate. Despite her age, she successfully managed huge savings, which were profitable until 1917. Irina Ivanovna also took care of the palace and park ensemble, which we know today.

Irina Ivanovna Paskevich devoted her whole life to serving Gomel and the Fatherland. Her work has left a significant mark in history, and her name is forever associated with the development of the city.