Monument to the first Belarusian oil taken under state protection
The Ministry of Culture has decided to include the Soviet stele with the mosaic panel "To the Discoverers of Belarusian Oil" in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of Belarus.
Soviet stele with the mosaic panel "To the Discoverers of Belarusian Oil". Photo: av.by
This was reported by the Gomel Regional Executive Committee.
The memorial complex is located in the Rechytsa district, on the 65th kilometer of the Gomel — Kalinkavichy highway. It was opened in 1968. Next to the stele, a memorial sign was also installed in honor of the extraction of the 100-millionth ton of oil, which was obtained in 1998.
Stele "To the Discoverers of Belarusian Oil" in Soviet times. Photo: budakosh.by
The location for the monument was not chosen by chance — it stands near well No. 8. It was here, on August 20, 1964, that the first oil fountain was obtained with a daily inflow of 126 cubic meters, proving the presence of deposits.
However, a different date is recorded on the stele itself — October 17, 1964. On this day, at the neighboring well No. 6, the first commercial inflow of "black gold" (600 tons per day) was obtained, which is considered the official beginning of Belarusian oil production.
Stele "To the Discoverers of Belarusian Oil" and a memorial sign in honor of the extraction of the 100-millionth ton of oil. Photo: av.by
Notably, the landmark well No. 6 is still in operation today, for over 60 years. Over all this time, 1 million 100 tons of raw materials have been extracted from it.
Today, the stele is a point on the so-called "oil route," along which, as local pages write, "thousands of tourists pass every year."
It should be recalled that the industry in Belarus is currently on the rise: according to the results of 2025, Belorusneft reached the level of oil production of 2 million tons per year for the first time in three decades.
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