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St Nicholas Monastery, Gomel

White St Nicholas Monastery in Gomel from above: gilded onion domes, a bell tower and roofs around a paved courtyard
Photo: Andrey Kukharenko from Gomel, Belarus, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free
Hours
Daily: liturgy 7:00 (brethren's prayers from 6:00), evening service 16:45 (vigil at 17:00 before feasts); Sundays liturgy at 6:30 and 8:45
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
40 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Address
Nikolskaya Street 4 (ulitsa Nikolskaya), Gomel
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
52.44083, 30.98472YesGo MapGoogleApple
Weekdays
6:00 brethren's prayers; 7:00 liturgy; 16:45 evening service
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Sundays
6:30 early liturgy; 8:45 late liturgy; 16:45 vespers with the akathist to St Nicholas
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Eve of feasts
17:00 all-night vigil with confession
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Phone
+375 25 910-52-02 (duty line); +375 232 33-71-83
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Church doors
Open from the morning service until the evening one ends; no exact hours published
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment
Candles and donations in Belarusian roubles (BYN), cash
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Language
Services in Church Slavonic, signs and talks in Russian; no English
Time needed
30–40 minutes; about 1.5–2 hours for a liturgy

Key facts

1904the St Nicholas church, now the monastery's main church, was consecrated
3 sourcesmonastery website (nikolsky.by)Russian WikipediaZnai svoi krai (my-places.by)
Railwaymenstaff of the Polesie Railway raised the money for a stone church from 1900
3 sourcesZnai svoi kraisobory.ruRussian Wikipedia
Until 1990from the war until that year, the only working Orthodox church in the city
2 sourcesZnai svoi kraisobory.ru
8 Dec 1994the first novices arrived — the monastery's founding day
2 sourcesmonastery websiteZnai svoi krai
21 Mar 1995formally established by the Synod of the Belarusian Exarchate; first abbot Archimandrite Antony (Kuznetsov)
3 sourcesmonastery websiteZnai svoi kraisobory.ru
1929 / 1930closed by the Soviet authorities, then reopened during the Second World War
2 sourcessobory.ru (1929)Znai svoi krai (1930)
2007a relic of St Nicholas was brought from Italy
2 sourcesmonastery websiteZnai svoi krai
Kozelshchansk icona revered copy of this icon of the Virgin, handed over by the last abbess of the Kozelshchansk convent
2 sourcesmonastery websiteZnai svoi krai
2 churchesSt Nicholas and the gate church of St Dionysius of Radonezh
2 sourcesmonastery websiteRussian Wikipedia
Since 1996the Psalter has been read round the clock
2 sourcesmonastery websiteRussian Wikipedia

Is St Nicholas Monastery worth visiting?

Worth it if you arrive by train, or if Orthodox churches and icons are your thing — it is 20–25 minutes on foot from Gomel station and takes 30–40 minutes. It is not one of the city's architectural highlights, and it sits outside the historic centre, so with only a few hours in Gomel the palace park and the Peter and Paul Cathedral come first.

What makes it interesting is the story. A stone church built with railwaymen's donations, closed under Stalin, reopened during the war and then, for decades, the only Orthodox church in the city that stayed open. Since the 1990s it has been a busy monastery with two churches, a bell tower and a paved courtyard, and on Sunday mornings it is full of local families.

Opening times and service schedule

There is no ticket desk and no fixed opening hours: the church is open around the services, which run every day. According to the schedule on the monastery's official website, the brethren pray from 6:00, the liturgy starts at 7:00 and the evening service at 16:45.

On Sundays there are two liturgies, at 6:30 and 8:45; the late one has the fuller choir. Sunday evening brings the akathist hymn to St Nicholas, and Wednesday evening one to the Virgin. On the eve of major feasts the evening service becomes an all-night vigil at 17:00.

The website posts each week's schedule in advance, in Russian. Times shift around feast days, so check it the day before or call the duty phone, +375 25 910-52-02.

Paying: entry is free. Candles, prayer notes and donations are paid in Belarusian roubles, and cash is the safe choice — don't count on a foreign card here. Card acceptance for foreign visitors in Belarus is patchy; Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard do not work. This is unofficial, so check with your bank before you travel.

How to get to St Nicholas Monastery

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On foot

More tips

  1. The monastery is not in the old centre but beyond the railway station — about 3.3 km by road from Lenin Square, around 45 minutes on foot (our measurement on OpenStreetMap). The easiest plan is to visit on the day you arrive or leave by train.
  2. From the centre, get to Gomel railway station first: walk north-west up Sovetskaya Street from Lenin Square (Ploshchad Lenina) for 20–25 minutes, or take any bus or trolleybus along Sovetskaya towards the station, 5–10 minutes.
  3. From the station it is about 1.7 km, a 20–25-minute walk, to the monastery gate. Head for Polesskaya Street: the Nikolskaya Tserkov stop is right by the monastery.
  4. A taxi is quickest — around 10 minutes from Lenin Square. Unofficially, the Yandex Go app works in Gomel.
  5. Pay bus and trolleybus fares in cash (BYN) to the driver or at a kiosk; small notes help.

What to see

  • The St Nicholas church of 1904 — white walls, gilded onion domes; locals still call it Nikolskaya Tserkov, and so does the bus stop.
  • The Kozelshchansk icon of the Virgin — a revered copy that hangs above the central doors of the icon screen and is lowered for people to venerate during services.
  • A relic of St Nicholas, brought from Italy in 2007, plus a reliquary with relics of other saints.
  • The icon screen, replaced in 2020, and an icon of St John of Korma with a relic.
  • The gate church of St Dionysius of Radonezh and the restored bell tower, both visible from the street.
  • The paved courtyard with the brethren's building — the whole site takes about 10 minutes to walk round.

A short history

In 1900 staff of the Polesie Railway set up a fund to build a stone church dedicated to St Nicholas, patron saint of travellers. It was consecrated in 1904. Russian Wikipedia and the Azbuka pilgrim guide say it was built with the blessing of St John of Kronstadt, and Princess Irina Paskevich, owner of Gomel Palace, was involved too.

The Soviet authorities closed it in 1929 or 1930 — sources differ — and, unofficially, the building became a forge and then training workshops. It reopened during the Second World War and, until 1990, was the only working Orthodox church in Gomel.

The monastery itself is young. The first novices arrived on 8 December 1994, and the Synod of the Belarusian Exarchate formally established it on 21 March 1995. A stone building with cells and a refectory followed in 2000, and in the early 2000s came the gate church, the enlarged St Nicholas church and the restored bell tower.

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St Nicholas Monastery or the Peter and Paul Cathedral?

St Nicholas Monasteryyou are hereBeyond the station, Nikolskaya St 4The city's only men's monastery, church of 1904Free30–40 minIcons, relics and services
Peter and Paul CathedralIn the palace park above the SozhGomel's main cathedral, early-19th-century neoclassicalFree20–30 minAnyone walking the palace park

Short on time? See the cathedral, which is right by the palace. Save the monastery for a train day or for a service.

Gomel's churches compared

Every church and holy site in Gomel rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Peter and Paul Cathedral4530 minFree2.9 km
St Elijah Old Believer Church4425 minFree3.3 km
St Nicholas Monasteryyou are here4140 minFree—
Paskevich Burial Chapel3930 min5 BYN, outside free2.9 km

Station to palace: Gomel in a day

The monastery by the station, the main street, the theatre on the square, then the palace and the cathedral above the Sozh. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

  1. St Nicholas Monasteryyou are here40 min · Free
  2. 20 min walk from the previous stopSovetskaya Street1 h · Free, open 24/7
  3. 36 min walk from the previous stopGomel Regional Drama Theatre30 min · Facade free; plays from 11 BYN
  4. 7 min walk from the previous stopRumyantsev-Paskevich Palace2 h · Park free, palace 15 BYN
  5. 4 min walk from the previous stopPeter and Paul Cathedral30 min · Free

5 places · about 5 h 47 min with walks · 67 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Sovetskaya Street

Gomel, Belarus

1 h · Free, open 24/7 · 20 min walk

Museum of Military Glory

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1 h · 12 BYN, students 7, schoolchildren 4.50 · 41 min walk

How to do it right

  • Arriving by train? Give it an hour straight from the station, then head into town for the palace park.
  • For the choir, come to the late Sunday liturgy at 8:45.
  • To venerate the Kozelshchansk icon, come during a service — that is when it is lowered.
  • Light a candle quietly at the side rather than in front of people praying.
  • Feast days change the schedule — check the website the day before.

Questions

Where is St Nicholas Monastery in Gomel?

At Nikolskaya Street 4, about 1.7 km north-west of Gomel railway station. The nearest stop is Nikolskaya Tserkov on Polesskaya Street.

Is there an entrance fee?

No. Entry to the monastery and its churches is free. Candles and donations are optional — bring a little cash in BYN.

What are the opening hours?

There are no fixed hours. The church is open around the daily services: liturgy at 7:00 and the evening service at 16:45, with Sunday liturgies at 6:30 and 8:45.

How do I get there from Gomel railway station?

Walk about 1.7 km, 20–25 minutes, towards Polesskaya Street. From Lenin Square, go to the station first, or take a taxi — about 10 minutes.

Is there a dress code?

Yes, as in any Orthodox church: women cover their hair and wear a skirt below the knee with covered shoulders; men remove hats and avoid shorts.

Can I take photos?

Not during services. Outside, the courtyard and domes are fine to photograph; inside, ask first and be discreet.

Are services in English?

No. Services are in Church Slavonic, and the website and any talks are in Russian. You can still attend quietly as a visitor.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you come by train or care about icons and services — it takes 30–40 minutes near the station. With little time, see the Peter and Paul Cathedral in the centre instead.

How old is the monastery?

The church dates from 1904; the monastery was founded in December 1994 and formally established in March 1995.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • St Nicholas Monastery, official website (nikolsky.by): home, History, Schedule, Contacts, Brethren, Today, 30.10.2026
  • Russian Wikipedia: Nikolsky Monastery (Gomel); Wikidata Q3920724
  • Znai svoi krai (my-places.by): Gomel, St Nicholas Monastery
  • Orthodox architecture catalogue (sobory.ru): Gomel, Church of St Nicholas
  • Azbuka pilgrim guide (azbyka.ru): Gomel
  • OpenStreetMap: Nikolskaya Tserkov stop, walking routes from the station and Lenin Square
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedService times (from the schedule for 24 October – 1 November 2026), the address, phone numbers, relics and founding dates come from the monastery's official website on 30.10.2026. The church's early history was checked against Znai svoi krai, sobory.ru, Russian Wikipedia and the Azbuka pilgrim guide. Conflicts: the closure year is 1929 in sobory.ru and 1930 in Znai svoi krai, so we show both; the monastery's own website dates the gate church to 2002 on one page and 2004 on another, so we say the early 2000s; sobory.ru gives 1905 as the build year, while all sources put the consecration in 1904. The forge comes from sobory.ru alone and is marked unofficial. Distances and walking times are our own measurement on OpenStreetMap; bus numbers to the stop were not verified and are left out. Opening hours outside services, the taxi app and card payments are marked as being checked. Dress rules are the usual ones for Orthodox churches; the monastery publishes no separate rules. The number of monks changes and is not given.

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