Buda-Kašaliova: Art, Church and Remembrance

• The Yevsei Moiseenko Art Gallery opened on August 25, 2007.
• Its main collection includes more than 2,500 exhibits; its most significant work is considered to be a study from 1946.
• St. Nicholas Church is the town’s main church; the present-day church was built in the 1990s.
• A mass grave commemorates 253 soldiers who died in the Second World War.

The art gallery is named after the artist Yevsei Moiseenko and opened on August 25, 2007. Its main collection includes more than 2,500 exhibits. The gallery’s most significant work is considered to be a study by Yevsei Yevseyevich Moiseenko from 1946. This puts the focus on a specific artist and a particular work, rather than on art in general.

The two years refer to different things: 1946 is the year of the study, while 2007 is the year the gallery opened. For trip planning, the collection offers a distinct cultural focus. Visitors interested in visual art can compare it with the area’s other themes, rather than defining Buda-Kašaliova by a single museum alone.

St. Nicholas Church is the main church of Buda-Kašaliova. The present-day church was built in the 1990s. Its status as the main church and the construction period of the current building are two separate details: the first describes its role in the town, while the second dates the building.

There are also several monuments with different associations. A mass grave commemorates 253 soldiers who died during the Second World War. Other monuments are dedicated to W. P. Drozd, P. Ya. Golovachev and internationalist soldiers. Together with the church and art gallery, they represent distinct themes: local religious history, art and remembrance.

The towel festival program includes performances by folk groups, weaving workshops—including work on a loom—and competitions in the artistic design of towels. It combines performances with hands-on insights into weaving and design, setting the festival apart from the art and memorial sites.

Events take place in the central square and green space in Buda-Kašaliova, as well as in the agricultural settlement of Novaya Gusevitsa. The program is therefore not confined to a single venue in the town. If the festival is a key part of your trip, check the specific dates before planning around it.

Beyond the local cultural attractions, the wider travel destination of Gomel Region also offers nature and regional history. The Buda-Koshelevsky Biological Reserve in Buda-Koshelevsky District was established in 1988 to protect the valuable oak forests that remained and rare plants listed in the Red Book of Belarus. The reserve is also home to black storks and marsh turtles; some old oaks are designated natural monuments. This regional natural heritage is distinct from Buda-Kašaliova’s art, church and commemorative themes.

Cultural collections elsewhere in the region offer a different focus too. The Vetka Museum has collections of Old Believer icons and handwritten and printed books. Its regional textile collection is the largest of its kind and includes rushnyks, traditional costume pieces and other textiles. The permanent exhibitions explore the artistic culture and creative work of the Orthodox Belarusian village, the Old Believer town of Vetka and other regional folk traditions.

The tourist route “Golden Ring of the Gomel Region” offers another regional perspective. It forms a loop through almost the entire Gomel Region and includes, among other things, a visit to a prehistoric human settlement site. Gomel Region therefore brings together a range of distinct attractions: Buda-Kašaliova’s art gallery, church and memorial sites, as well as nature, museums and history across the wider region.

Discover more destinations: Borets, Baraviki, Rečyca, Masyr, Turau, Gomel, Zhlobin, Studzionaja Huta.

How large is the art gallery’s main collection?

The Yevsei Moiseenko Art Gallery’s main collection includes more than 2,500 exhibits. Its most significant work is considered to be a study by Yevsei Yevseyevich Moiseenko from 1946.

What activities are part of the towel festival?

The festival includes performances by folk groups, weaving workshops with work on a loom, and competitions in the artistic design of towels. Events take place in squares and green spaces in Buda-Kašaliova, as well as in Novaya Gusevitsa.

What makes the reserve in Gomel Region distinctive?

Established in 1988, the Buda-Koshelevsky Biological Reserve protects valuable oak forests and rare plants. The area is home to black storks and marsh turtles; some old oaks are designated natural monuments.

For the wider travel overview: Gomel Region.