Gomel. The building of the former City Duma (Sovetskaya Street, 1).

The decision to erect the City Duma building, where representatives of different segments of the population could discuss important issues and make decisions, was made with the growth of the city. In 1880, according to the project of architect E. Torlin, construction began on the site of the former town hall. The building was designed to have two floors: on the ground floor there were shops and offices, on the second floor there were meetings.

Prince Fyodor Ivanovich Paskevich, the owner of the Gomel estate, was a member of the Duma until his death. He made important decisions that determined the fate of the city. In 1888, he was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of Gomel."

The architectural style of the building is eclectic. The facades are decorated with a scalloped belt and paneling, the windows with architraves and pediments.

After the 1917 revolution, the building became the location of the editorial office of the newspaper Gomelskaya Pravda, and since 1921, the Polespechat factory, founded in 1921, has been located here in the building. During the war, republican and army newspapers were printed here. An underground group of employees provided the partisans with fonts and paper. The factory is still located here today.

In 1935, a third floor was added to the two-story building.

The building of the former City Duma is an ornament of the center of Gomel, attracting the attention of tourists. It is not only an architectural monument, but also an important symbol of the historical and cultural heritage of the city.