# Gomel Regional Drama Theatre > The Gomel Regional Drama Theatre is the six-columned landmark at Lenin Square 1, two minutes from the Gomel Palace park gate. Admiring the facade is free at any hour and takes 20–30 minutes. To see inside, buy a play ticket (from 11 BYN) or join the 10 BYN backstage tour. The box office opens Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Web page: https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-drama-theatre - City: [Gomel](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel), Belarus - YesGo score: 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - Entry: Facade free; plays from 11 BYN - Opening hours: Facade and square — always open; box office Tue 13:30–19:00, Wed–Sun 11:30–19:00, break 15:30–16:30, closed Mon - With kids: Fine with kids - Address: Lenin Square 1 (ploshchad Lenina), Gomel - Outside: Free, any time - Box office: Tue 13:30–19:00; Wed–Sun 11:30–19:00; break 15:30–16:30; closed Mon - Box office phone: +375 232 50-90-63 - Evening plays: 11–40 BYN at the box office; premieres and visiting companies can cost more - Children's shows: 12–20 BYN - Online: Via the ticket agencies 24afisha and Ticketpro; prices may differ from the box office - Curtain up: Evening plays usually at 18:00 or 19:00, children's shows in the morning - Backstage tour: 1–1.5 h, 10 BYN; groups of 7–20 by arrangement, individuals on announced dates; +375 232 23-03-51 - Language: Plays are in Russian, with some productions in Belarusian; no surtitles listed - Payment: Belarusian roubles (BYN); bring cash, as foreign cards are not always accepted - Coordinates: 52.42540, 31.01310 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1939** — the company was founded by young Moscow-trained graduates; first play — Gogol's The Government Inspector, 20 December (source: theatre website (gomeldrama.by); Znai svoi krai (my-places.by); Tonkosti (tonkosti.ru)) - **A. Tarasenko** — the architect, a pupil of Ivan Zholtovsky, who consulted on the design (source: theatre website; Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia; Znai svoi krai) - **1954 / 1956** — the theatre dates its first night in the building to September 1954; Wikipedia gives 1956 for the opening (source: theatre website; Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia; Znai svoi krai) - **6 columns** — in the portico, topped by a sculpted pediment (source: Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia; Znai svoi krai) - **1946** — with no stage of its own, the company was moved to Mogilev for several years (source: theatre website; Znai svoi krai) - **2,500+** — concerts given by the company's front-line brigades during the war (source: theatre website) - **1999** — named an Honoured Company of the Republic of Belarus (source: theatre website; Russian Wikipedia) - **2004–2005** — restoration of the facades, porch, heating and stage equipment (source: Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia; Znai svoi krai; Tonkosti) - **Listed** — a protected historical and cultural monument of Belarus (source: Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia) - **Every 3 years** — the theatre hosts the Slavic Theatre Meetings festival (source: theatre website; Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti) ## Gomel Drama Theatre tickets and what's on The theatre posts a month of shows on its official website and on boards by the entrance. Each listing gives the date, start time, age rating (0+ to 18+) and prices by seating zone. The resident company plays most evenings, and visiting companies from Belarus and Russia come through regularly. According to the box office, evening plays cost **11–40 BYN** and children's shows **12–20 BYN**; the stalls cost more than the balcony. Premieres can be pricier, and visiting productions noticeably so — check the price on the date you want. Buy at the box office inside the theatre, by phone on **+375 232 50-90-63**, or online through the Belarusian ticket agencies 24afisha and Ticketpro. The theatre warns that agency prices may differ from the box office. **Paying:** Belarus runs on roubles (BYN). Western Visa and Mastercard cards often work in city shops and at ATMs, but not reliably, and Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard do not work at all; Russian Mir cards do. Carry enough cash for the box office and city transport. This is unofficial — check with your bank before travelling. > **Box office closed on Mondays** The box office opens Tuesday to Sunday — only from 13:30 on Tuesdays — and shuts for lunch from 15:30 to 16:30 every day. Shows sometimes run on a Monday (usually visiting companies), but the box office will not be staffed, so buy online or the day before. ## How to get to the Gomel Drama Theatre 1. From Gomel railway station, walk south-east down Sovetskaya Street for 20–25 minutes to Lenin Square. The theatre stands on the square itself, columns facing it. 2. Or take any bus or trolleybus along Sovetskaya to the Ploshchad Lenina stop — 5–10 minutes. Unofficially, buses 3, 12, 17, 27 and 28 stop there too. 3. Pay the fare in cash (BYN) to the driver or at a kiosk; small notes help. 4. Coming from the [Gomel Palace](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-palace) park, leave by the main gate — the theatre is two minutes away. 5. For a play, arrive 20–30 minutes early to use the cloakroom and find your seat. ## Is the Gomel Drama Theatre worth visiting? As a building, yes — briefly. It is the grandest facade on Gomel's main square and you will walk past it anyway on the way to the palace park. Twenty minutes is plenty; it is not worth a special trip on its own. As a night out, it depends on your Russian. Tickets are cheap by European standards and the auditorium is a fine post-war interior, but performances are in Russian or Belarusian. If you don't speak either, pick a children's show, a musical production or a well-known classic you can follow without words. ## A short history The company was formed in **1939** from a class of young actors trained in Moscow, and opened on 20 December 1939 with Gogol's *The Government Inspector* — in a wooden circus building, as it had no theatre of its own. A grand new building by Ivan Zholtovsky was planned, but the war stopped it in 1941. During the war the actors toured the front lines in small brigades; the theatre counts more than 2,500 concerts. In 1946, still without a stage in Gomel, the company was moved to Mogilev, and construction in Gomel was restarted in 1949. The present building is by **Alexander Tarasenko**, a pupil of Zholtovsky. The theatre dates its first performance here to September 1954; Wikipedia gives 1956 for the opening. It is textbook Stalin-era neoclassicism: a six-column portico, a sculpted pediment and pilasters all the way round. It was restored in 2004–2005. ## What to see - **The six-column portico** — step back to the middle of the square to fit it into one frame. - **The sculpted pediment.** Unofficially, a local heritage guide describes it as the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower with Melpomene, the muse of tragedy — look closely. - **Plaster reliefs of musical instruments** and classical details along the walls. - **Lenin Square itself** — Gomel's main square, once the market square where a big market was held three times a week. - **The Gomel Palace park gate**, two minutes away, and the start of [Sovetskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-sovetskaya-street). - **The theatre at dusk**, lit up as the audience gathers before curtain-up — the liveliest moment on the square. ## Can you tour the theatre? Yes. The **backstage tour** (“Theatre begins with…”) lasts **1–1.5 hours** and costs **10 BYN**. It covers the theatre's history, the stage machinery above and below the stage, and the workshops; a meeting with actors can sometimes be arranged. Tours are for organised groups of 7–20 by arrangement, but individuals can join on dates the theatre announces on its website if places are left. Book on **+375 232 23-03-51**. Tours are in Russian. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Checked the date and time on the theatre's listings - [ ] Ticket bought online, or at the box office on a day other than Monday - [ ] Avoided the 15:30–16:30 box office break - [ ] Cash in BYN for tickets and transport - [ ] Age rating suits, if bringing children - [ ] Arriving 20–30 minutes before curtain-up ## Theatre, palace or Sovetskaya Street? | | Drama Theatre | Gomel Palace | Sovetskaya Street | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 1950s theatre on the main square | Rumyantsev–Paskevich palace in its park | Main street from the square to the station | | Cost | Facade free; plays from 11 BYN | Park free, palace ticketed | Free | | Time needed | 20–30 min outside; an evening for a play | 1.5–2 h with the park | 30–40 min stroll | | Best time | Early evening | Daytime | Any time | Do the palace and park by day and save the theatre for the evening — the facade looks best at dusk. ## Gomel's historic sights compared Every historic place in Gomel rated by YesGo. - [Peter and Paul Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-peter-and-paul-cathedral) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [St Elijah Old Believer Church](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-st-elijah-church) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 25 min · Free - [Sovetskaya Street](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-sovetskaya-street) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, open 24/7 - [St Nicholas Monastery](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-st-nicholas-monastery) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Gomel Regional Drama Theatre](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-drama-theatre) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Facade free; plays from 11 BYN - [Hunting Lodge](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-hunting-lodge) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 10 BYN, students 7.50, children 5 - [Paskevich Burial Chapel](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-paskevich-chapel) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · 5 BYN, outside free - [Museum of Military Glory](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-military-glory-museum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 12 BYN, students 7, schoolchildren 4.50 - [Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-palace) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Park free, palace 15 BYN ## Central Gomel in half a day The theatre on the square, the palace and park, the cathedral above the Sozh and the riverside. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 1. [Gomel Regional Drama Theatre](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-drama-theatre) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Facade free; plays from 11 BYN 2. [Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-palace) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Park free, palace 15 BYN 3. [Peter and Paul Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-peter-and-paul-cathedral) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Sozh River Embankment](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-sozh-embankment) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, open 24/7 ## Good to know Gomel also has a puppet theatre and a youth theatre — the drama theatre is the one with columns at Lenin Square 1. In Belarusian the city is Homiel, so you may see “Homiel Regional Drama Theatre” on maps and signs. ## Tips - Pair the theatre with a walk in the Gomel Palace park — they are next door to each other. - Premieres and visiting companies sell out first — book online ahead. - The cheapest seats are on the balcony; good enough to see the auditorium. - Travelling with children? Morning fairy tales rated 0+ run about 50 minutes and need little Russian. - After the show, walk to the [Sozh riverside](https://yesgo.io/belarus/gomel/gomel-sozh-embankment) — about 10 minutes from the square. ## Questions ### Where is the Gomel Drama Theatre? At Lenin Square 1 in central Gomel, two minutes from the Gomel Palace park gate and a 20–25-minute walk from the railway station. ### How much are tickets at the Gomel Drama Theatre? 11–40 BYN for evening plays and 12–20 BYN for children's shows, according to the box office. Premieres and visiting companies can cost more. ### How do I buy tickets? At the box office (Tue 13:30–19:00, Wed–Sun 11:30–19:00, break 15:30–16:30), by phone on +375 232 50-90-63, or online via 24afisha or Ticketpro. ### What time do performances start? Evening plays usually at 18:00 or 19:00; children's shows in the morning. Check the listing for each date. ### Are performances in English? No. Plays are in Russian, and some are in Belarusian. Children's shows and well-known classics are the easiest to follow without the language. ### Can I pay by card? Bring cash in BYN. Western Visa and Mastercard work in many places but not reliably; Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard do not work. ### Can I tour the theatre? Yes: a 1–1.5-hour backstage tour costs 10 BYN. Groups of 7–20 book ahead; individuals can join on announced dates. Tours are in Russian. ### When was the theatre built? The theatre dates its first night in the building to September 1954; Wikipedia gives 1956. The architect was Alexander Tarasenko. ### Is it worth visiting without seeing a play? For 20 minutes, yes, if you are already on Lenin Square for the palace. It is not worth a special trip just for the facade. ## How we checked Address, box office hours, phone numbers, ticket prices, booking channels, the backstage tour and its price, start times and age ratings come from the theatre's official website on 30.10.2026. The box office price list says 11–40 BYN, but some listings and visiting productions are higher, so we say they can cost more. The building's opening year differs: the theatre and two guides give 1954, Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia give 1956 — we show both. Seat counts disagree (about 570, 488 and 800) and are left out. The pediment's subject (Spasskaya Tower and Melpomene) appears in only one guide and is marked unofficial. Bus numbers come from one travel guide and are unofficial. Performance languages and card payments are based on the listings and travel-finance sites and are marked as being checked. ## Sources - Gomel Regional Drama Theatre, official website (gomeldrama.by): History, Box office, Theatre tours, Listings, Contacts, 30.10.2026 - Russian and Belarusian Wikipedia: Gomel Regional Drama Theatre; Wikidata Q2025621 - Russian Wikipedia: Lenin Square (Gomel) - Znai svoi krai (my-places.by): Gomel Regional Drama Theatre - Tonkosti (tonkosti.ru): Gomel Drama Theatre - World Travel Guide: Belarus money; Visasam: bank cards in Belarus in 2026 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.