Gomel. Monument to the first settler

Gomel was first mentioned in written sources in 1142. At that time, the city belonged to Prince Igor Olgovich of Chernigov and was captured by Prince Rostislav Mstislavich of Smolensk. Despite the temporary loss, the Chernigov princes returned Gomel, which for a long time remained the hereditary possession of the Olgovich family.

At the end of the XV century, Gomel was a small trade and craft settlement. The population of the city was engaged in various crafts, such as ironworking, wood, bone, pottery, and tannery. In addition to handicraft production, the townspeople were actively engaged in arable farming, animal husbandry and vegetable growing, which provided them with basic foodstuffs and raw materials for crafts.

The city conducted active trade with Kiev, Chernihiv, Starodub, Novgorod-Seversky and Moscow. These trade relations contributed to the development of the local economy and cultural exchange, attracting merchants and artisans from various regions.

The monument to the first settler in Gomel, widely known among locals as the "Boatman", was inaugurated in 2006. It was installed on the picturesque territory of the park surrounding the Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace, near the banks of the Sozh River. The author of this outstanding monument is a talented sculptor Vyacheslav Dolgov.

In the center of the composition is the figure of the legendary Goma, who, according to legend, founded the first settlement on the territory of modern Gomel. The boat in which Gom is sitting also contains a sculpture of a lynx, a symbolic animal depicted on the city coat of arms. The monument, made of bronze, is symbolically surrounded by water, creating an atmosphere that takes viewers into the distant past.

A small fountain is also an element of the composition, which attracts the attention of visitors. In such fountains in many countries, it is customary to throw coins with the hope of returning again. This fountain adds a special atmosphere to the monument, making it not only a historical, but also a romantic object.

The monument to the first settler not only decorates the park, but also serves as a place of attraction for tourists and citizens, recalling the rich history of the city and its first inhabitants.