Obj. ID: 16960
Jewish Architecture  Synagogue at 15 Smoliano Rokytianska St. in Bila Tserkva (Belaia Tserkov') - Description

To the main object: Synagogue at 15 Smoliano Rokytianska St. in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

Name of the place: Belaia Tserkov’

Name of the synagogue: Synagogue at 15 Smoliano-Rokytianska St. in Bila Tserkva (Belaia Tserkov’)

Location: Ukraine; Kyivs’ka; Bila Tserkva (Belaia Tserkov’); 15 Smoliano-Rokytianska Street

In September 1998 architects I Fugol, I Czurilik, and P. Khmelevskii completed the field documentation and the measurements. O. Boiko wrote the description.

1. History of the place:

1.4.2. Foundation (existence) of synagogues, beit-midrashes, yeshibots, orphanages, old people's homes, cheders, craft schools, cemeteries, hospitals, mikvaot, burial societies, social organizations, sport clubs, publishing houses, etc.: A few buildings associated with the synagogue (a former Jewish school and others) have been preserved in the town.

1.4.5. Jewish life today (1998): There is an active Jewish community.

2. Topography: The building is in the area where the Jews settled.

3. General state of preservation: Satisfactory.

4. History of the building: The building is now a residential home.

4.2. When was it built: Probably in the 19th century.

5. General description of the exterior of the building: The building is compact and constructed with unplastered brick. It has a traditional planning scheme.

5.1. Division into the volumes: The building has 2 main volumes.

5.2. The main and side entrances: The main entrance was originally on the western façade. Now it is on the eastern façade by the Torah niche.

5.3. Surrounding buildings: The synagogue is located in a residential neighborhood.

5.4. The later extensions and reconstructed parts: Because the building has been converted into a residence, the original main entrance and some of the windows have been bricked up. Some inner partition walls were also added.

 5.5. The walls: The walls are 70 cm thick and constructed with unplastered brick.

5.6. The attic wall: There is no attic.

5.7. The roof: The roof is hipped and covered with slate.

5.8. The general impression of the synagogue and its attachments: A town building that looks like a school.

5.8.1. Impression of an expert, as an architect: A town building with a planning scheme traditional to that of a synagogue.

5.8.2. Personal impression of an expert, as a human being: It looks like a public house.

6. General description of the ground plan:

6.1. Rectangular or oblique outline of the plan: The plan is rectangular, stretching from east to west.

6.2. General exterior measurements: The building is about 19.15 m x 13.9 m.

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

7. Descriptions of the facades:  

7.1. General measurements: From the conditional zero up to the cornice is 3.13 m. From the conditional zero to the top of the roof is 8.05 m.

7.2. Number of tiers: The volume containing the prayer hall is one-tiered and the volume containing the vestibule and the women’s gallery is two-tiered.

7.2. Description of separate tiers:

7.2.1.1. Door / window openings: Initially, the prayer hall was lit by the openings – 4 on the northern façade, 4 on the southern, and 4 on the eastern. The western volume originally had 3 biforium windows on the southern façade and 3 on the northern façade (one on the southern and two on the northern façade were bricked up; the rest were changed).

7.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: All the windows of the prayer hall have semicircular arches and the windows of the western volume have segmented arches.

7.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The window frames are wooden and two or three-sashed.

7.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: Decorative elements include the brick molded cornice, molding, and pilasters.

7.2.3. Finishing: The bricks that form the pilasters, cornice, and molding are all painted white.

7.2.4. Vertical division of the tier: The northern and southern facades are divided by pilasters.

7.2.5. Horizontal division of the tiers: The two-tiered western volume is divided by molding.

7.3. Crowning element of the façade: The facades are finished with a brick cornice.

8. Description of the interior space, room by room: The wall that separates the prayer hall from the vestibule and women’s gallery has been preserved from the original building, but the rest of the interior has been altered.

8.1.3. Pavement: The floors are wooden.

8.1.4. Walls: The walls are painted white.

8.1.4.1. Location and number of the door/window openings: The locations and number of openings is consistent with the exterior.

8.1.4.2. Outlines of the openings: The arches of the openings are both flat and semicircular.

8.1.4.3. Frames of the openings: The frames are wooden.

9. Torah Ark: There is a door where a Torah niche would normally be situated.

10. Bimah: There is no bimah.