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Obj. ID: 16124
Jewish Architecture
  Description of the Synagogue at 29 Kirova St. in Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi (Akkerman), Ukraine

© Center for Jewish Art, Photographer: Ukrzakhidprojectrestavratsiia, 1998

Name of the place: BELGOROD-DNESTROVSKII

Name of the synagogue: Synagogue at 29 Kirova St. in Bilhorod-Dnistrovs’kyi (Akkerman).

Location: Ukraine; Odessa region; BELGOROD-DNESTROVSKII; 29 Kirova Street.

In 1998 architect L. Dmitrovich with the assistance of V.M. Krichevskii, (the director of Belgorod-Dnestrovskii Jewish society), completed the field documentation and the measurements.

1. History of the place: Belgorod-Dnestrovskii is a town in the Odessa region of Ukraine located in the center of Belgorod-Dnestrovskii district. The town is also a port on Dniester Estuary, settled about 18 km from the Black sea.

1.1. The first record of the place: In the 6th century B.C.E. Belgorod-Dnestrovskii was known as the Greek polis Tira. In the 9th century C.E. where the town of Tira stood, the Slavic tribes Tyvertsy and Ulichi founded their political, economic, and commercial center of Belgorog. In the 13th century, Belgorog became a part of the Galich-Volyn` princedom. Then, in the 14th century the Genovese conquered the town and gave it the new name of Monkastro (Mavrokastro). In the 15th century the town, at that time called Cetatea Alba (meaning White fortress), became a part of Moldova principality. In 1484 Turkey acquired Cetatea Alba and in 1503 named it Akkerman (meaning White stone). Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries the town was the center of Belgorod Horde. According to Bucharest Peace Treaty in 1812, Akkerman then passed to Russia. At the beginning of 1918 Akkerman (at that time was a part of Bessarabia) was conquered by Romania. In 1940 it was returned to USSR. In the beginning of the World War II, on the 5th of July, 1941, the fascists occupied Belgorod. On August 23rd of the same year, it was liberated by forces of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. In 1944, the town received the name Belgorod-Dnestrovskii.

1.4.2. Founding of synagogues, batei-midrash, yeshibot, orphanages, retirement homes, heders, craft schools, cemeteries, hospitals, mikvaot, burial societies, social organizations, sport clubs, publishing houses, etc.: Until WWII, the town had a significant Jewish population. There were several synagogues, schools, banks, and old-age homes.

1.4.5. Jewish life today (1998). Now there are three preserved synagogue buildings in Belgorod-Dnestrovskii. One of the buildings houses the Belgorod-Dnestrovskii Jewish Society as well as an active synagogue.

2. Topography: The synagogue is situated near the central part of the town where the Jews lived before WWII. Two more preserved synagogues are located nearby.

3. General state of preservation: The building has been saved almost without changes. The women’s gallery was renovated to make space for a gymnasium.

4. History of the building:

4.2. When it was built: The synagogue may have been built in the 19th century.

4.5. Periods of reconstructions: The western volume was added later on.

5. General description of the exterior of the building.

5.1. Division into the volumes: The synagogue is compact. There is a main hall and a women’s section. 

5.2. The main and side entrances: The main entrance is situated on the western facade. The later addition of auxiliary rooms on the western side completely eclipsed the first tier of the façade, which included a gymnasium. Two northern entrances have been bricked up including the entrance to the main hall and the entrance to the women’s section. A new entrance from the main hall to the inner courtyard was made in the south. The courtyard was created because of the addition of the household rooms. The original entrance to the main hall from the west became an inner entrance. It is currently situated inside the volume of an added household room.

5.3. Surrounding buildings, attached or functionally connected (either historically or today) with the synagogue. The building is separately situated.

5.4. The later extensions and/or reconstructed parts of the building. The room was built later on for economic needs. It is next to the first tier of the western and the southern facades.

5.5. The walls: The walls are made of brick and are not finished with plaster.

5.6. The attic wall: There is no attic.

5.7. The roof: The roof is 3-sloped and covered with slate. The covering over the apse is made of metal. The inner constructions are wooden.

5.8.1. Impression of an expert, as an architect. The building looks like a monumental worship building, simply-planned, with rich architectural decor made using decorative brickwork.

5.9. Architectural style of the building in each of its constructive periods. The building was built in Neo-Russian style.

6. General description of the ground plan.

6.1. The shape of the ground plan: The building is based on a rectangular plan. A semicircular apse is located on the eastern side of the rectangular volume.

6.2. General exterior measurements: The northern wall is 19.25 m, the western wall is 11.4 m, the southern wall is 19.25 m, and the eastern wall is 11.4 m.

6.3. Orientation of the ground plan. Traditional orientation (facing the east).

7. Description of the facades:

7.1. The Western Facade:

7.1.1. General measurements of the façade: The length of the facade is 11.4 m. The height from the conditional zero to the top of the wall is 7.6 m, and the height from the conditional zero to the top of the parapet is about 10.6 m.

7.1.2. Number of tiers of the façade: The facade is one-tiered.

7.1.2.1.1. Door / window openings: The facade has 3 big windows with arched bulkheads. The windows were bricked up with the addition of the household rooms.

7.1.2.1.4. The exterior decorative framings of the openings: They are simple and emphasized by the rustic brick decorations.

7.1.2.4. Vertical division of the tier: On the corners of the façade there are small decorative pillars.

7.1.3. Crowning element of the façade: The western facade is crowned with a richly decorated and complicated parapet that looks like a kokoshnik (the traditional headdress of a Russian woman). A Star of David is constructed with figured bricks on the tympanum of the parapet. The wall is finished by a wide cornice. That cornice is created with molded bricks.

7.2. The Eastern Facade:

7.2.1. General measurements of the façade: The length of the façade is 11.4 m. The height from the conditional zero up to the top of the wall is 6.4 m and the height from the conditional zero up to the finial of the roof is about 10 m. The width of the apse is 2.8 m and its height is 5.5 m.

7.2.2. Number of tiers of the facade. The facade is one-tiered with a semicircular apse.

7.2.2.1.1. Door / window openings: There are no windows.

7.2.2.4. Vertical division of the tier: On the corners of the façade there are pilasters that are the same height of the wall. Above the cornice and over the pilasters there are small decorative pillars.

7.2.3. Crowning element of the façade: The wall is finished by a wide cornice. The cornice is formed with molded bricks.

7.3. The Northern Façade:

7.3.1. General measurements of the façade: The length of the northern façade is 19.25 m. The height from the conditional zero up to the top of the wall is 6.4 m and from the conditional zero up to the top of the parapet is about 10.6 m. The height from the conditional zero up to the top of the parapet is about 10 m.

7.3.2. Number of tiers of the façade: The facade is one-tiered.

7.3.2.1.1. Door / window openings: The facade has 6 windows. Two of the windows were originally doors.

7.3.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: All the windows are large and with arched bulkheads.

7.3.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The frames of the windows are filled with glass blocks.

7.3.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: There are rustic pilasters between each window that span the height of the wall. Under the windows there is decorative brick. The two windows that were originally doors have a rustic-looking framing. There are pilasters on the corners of the facade from the bottom up to the top of the wall. Above the corner pilasters and the cornice there are small decorative pillars.

7.3.3. Crowning element of the façade: The facade is crowned with a richly-decorated and intricate parapet that looks like a kokoshnik (the traditional headdress of a Russian woman). A Star of David is formed with molded brick on the tympanum of the parapet. The wall is finished by a wide cornice. The cornice is formed with molded bricks.

7.4. The Southern Façade:

7.4.1. General measurements of the façade: The length of the southern façade is 19.25 m. The height from the conditional zero up to the top of the cornice is 6.4 m and the height from the conditional zero up to the finial of the roof is about 10.6 m.

7.4.2. Number of tiers of the façade: The facade is one-tiered.

7.4.2.1.1. Door / window openings: The facade has 2 windows that are fully visible. There are 2 other windows that are completely hidden by additions and 1 window on the eastern end that is partly hidden by an addition.

7.4.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: The windows are large and with arched bulkheads.

7.4.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The frames of the windows are filled with glass blocks.

7.4.2.1.4. The exterior decorative framings of the openings: The decorative frames of the windows are formed with rustic brick.

7.4.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: There are pilasters on the corners of the façade that span the height of the wall. Above the corner pilasters and the cornice there are small decorative pillars. Under the windows there is decorative brick. A large portion of the facade is hidden by the additions. One can assume that the decorative elements that are preserved on the southern façade were meant to compliment the northern façade.

8. Description of the interior space, room by room:

8. Layout of the room: The whole inner space of the synagogue includes one volume. Originally, the inner volume of the synagogue included 2 parts: the main hall and the women’s section. Currently, the main hall is used as a gymnasium. The women’s gallery, which used to be situated on the second tier, no longer exists.

8.1.3. Pavement: The floors are constructed with wooden planks and are in satisfactory condition.

8.1.4. Walls: The walls are plastered and painted white.

8.1.5. Floor spanning the room: The floor is smooth.

9. Torah ark:

9.2. Location of a niche(s): A semicircular niche is located on the eastern wall. On the exterior the niche forms an apse. The niche is closed with wooden panels, so it is inaccessible for examination. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Description of the Synagogue at 29 Kirova St. in Bilhorod-Dnistrovs'kyi (Akkerman) | Unknown
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Date
18??
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Computer Reconstruction
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Section Head
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Language Editor
Carmen Echevarria | 2016
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The following information on this monument will be completed:
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