Obj. ID: 16118
Jewish Architecture  Description of the Merchants' Synagogue in Bila Tserkva (Belaia Tserkov'), Ukraine, 18??

To the main object: Merchants' Synagogue in Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

Name of the place: Belaia Tserkov’

Name of the synagogue: Merchants’ Synagogue in Bila Tserkva (Belaia Tserkov’)

Location: Ukraine; Kyivs’ka; Bila Tserkva (Belaia Tserkov’); 6 Teatralna 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.: In the shtetl (small town where a concentration of Jews settled) a few synagogues, a former Jewish school and other Jewish institutions have been preserved.

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

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

3. General state of preservation: Satisfactory.

4. History of the building: The building was once used as an administrative building.

4.2. When was it built: In the end of the 19th century.

5. General description of the exterior of the building:

5.1. Division into the volumes: The building contains 2 volumes: one containing a vestibule and a women’s section and another containing the main prayer hall.

5.2. The main and side entrances: The main entrance is on the southwestern façade. This includes the newly constructed porch. There was an entrance on the southeastern façade that has been bricked up.

5.3. Surrounding buildings: The synagogue is surrounded by residences and other institutional buildings.

5.4. The later extensions and reconstructed parts: A second tier and a porch were added. Some windows were changed and some were bricked up.

 5.5. The walls: The walls are constructed with open brick and the decorative brick is painted white.

5.6. The attic wall: There is no attic.

5.7. The roof: The roof is new, three-sloped, and covered with slate.

5.8. The general impression of the synagogue and its attachments: A stylized building.

5.8.1. Impression of an expert, as an architect: A building with architectural décor and ground plan consistent with a traditional synagogue.

5.8.2. Personal impression of an expert, as a human being: An interesting building.

5.9. Architectural style of the building: Art Nouveau.

6. General description of the ground plan:

6.1. Rectangular or oblique outline of the plan: Rectangular.

6.2. General exterior measurements: The building is 22.97 m x 16.6 m.

6.3. Orientation of the ground plan: The Torah ark is on the northeast (traditional orientation of a synagogue is facing east).

7. Descriptions of the facades:

7.1. General measurements of the façades: From the conditional zero to the final cornice is 8.2 m, from the conditional zero to the top of the roof is 10.75 m, and from the conditional zero to the top of the gable on the southwest end is 11.54 m.  

7.2. Number of tiers of the façade: The building is two-tiered.

7.2.1. Description of a separate tier: The two tiers are separated by an intermediate cornice or molding depending on the location on each façade.

7.3. The Southwestern Façade:

7.3.2.1.1. Door/window openings: On the lower tier there are 2 small windows and a porch. The porch is enclosed and has the main entrance to the building which is a set of double doors. The double doors are flanked by 2 windows. There is one window on either side of the porch. On the upper tier there is 4 small windows and a door in the center that opens to a balcony created by the top of the porch. There are 2 small windows above the upper tier on what looks like an attic wall or parapet.

7.3.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: All the openings on the lower tier have rectangular openings. The openings on the upper tier have flat arches. The 2 small windows above the upper tier are rectangular.

7.3.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The frames are all wooden and single or two-sashed.

7.3.2.1.4. The exterior decorative framings of the openings: The openings on the porch have wooden decorations above them. All the other openings are plain.

7.3.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: The porch is decorated with brick pilasters between each opening and on its corners.

7.3.2.3. Finishing: All the brick is open and the decoration brick is painted white and yellow.

7.3.2.4. Vertical division of the tiers: None.

7.3.2.5. Horizontal division of the tiers: None.

7.3.3. Crowning element of the façade: The façade is finished with a brick cornice that peaks in the center.

7.4. The Southeastern Façade:

7.4.2.1.1. Door / window openings: location and number of openings: On the lower tier there are 4 large windows, 3 smaller windows, and one door that has been bricked up. On the upper tier there are 4 small windows, 3 larger windows and a door set inside the frame of another large window. A staircase leads from the ground up to the landing in front of the door on the upper tier.

7.4.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: The 4 larger windows on the lower tier have semicircular arches and the smaller windows have flat arches. The 4 smaller windows on the upper tier have flat arches and the 3 larger windows have flat arches.

7.4.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The frames are all wooden and two or three-sashed depending on the volume they belong to.

7.4.2.1.4. The exterior decorative framings of the openings: The 4 large windows of the lower tier have keystones and brick frames and archivolts painted white. The smaller windows on the lower tier have flat archivolts painted white. The larger windows on the upper tier have no decoration. The smaller windows on the upper tier have brick window sills, keystones, and arches that are painted white.  

7.4.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: There are 7 pilasters with brick decoration and brick consoles on the lower tier of the façade.

7.4.2.3. Finishing: The decorative brick sections are painted yellow and white.

7.4.2.4. Vertical division of the tiers: The façade is divided by 7 pilasters.

7.4.2.5. Horizontal division of the tiers: There is an intermediate cornice or molding separating the two tiers.

7.4.3. Crowning element of the façade: The façade is ultimately finished by a brick cornice.

7.5. The Northeastern Façade:

7.5.2.1.1. Door / window openings: location and number of openings: The lower tier has 3 large windows and the upper tier has two large windows.

7.5.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: The windows on the lower tier all have flat arches and the windows of the upper tier are rectangular. The original windows of the lower tier had semicircular arches.

7.5.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The frames are all wooden and three-sashed.

7.5.2.1.4. The exterior decorative framings of the openings: The windows on the lower tier have keystones and white brick decoration around them. The windows on the upper tier are not decorated.

7.5.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: There is remnants of an intricate cornice that must have finished the façade before the second tier was added. There are also 5 decorated pilasters and the final brick cornice.

7.5.2.3. Finishing: The decorative brick sections are painted yellow and white.

7.5.2.4. Vertical division of the tiers: There are 5 decorated pilasters.

7.5.2.5. Horizontal division of the tiers: There is an intermediate cornice or molding separating the two tiers.

7.5.3. Crowning element of the façade: The façade is ultimately finished by a brick cornice.

7.6. The Northwestern Façade:

7.6.2.1.1. Door / window openings: location and number of openings: On the lower tier there are 4 large windows, and 4 smaller windows. On the upper tier there are 4 small windows, and 4 larger windows.

7.6.2.1.2. Outlines of the openings: All of the windows on the lower tier have flat arches. The smaller windows on the upper tier have flat arches and the large windows are rectangular.

7.6.2.1.3. Frames of the openings: The frames are all wooden. The larger windows are all three-sashed and the smaller windows are all two-sashed.

7.6.2.1.4. The exterior decorative framings of the openings: The windows of this façade have the same decoration as the corresponding windows on the southeastern façade.

7.6.2.2. Decorative elements of the tier: The decorative elements of this façade are the same as the corresponding elements on the southeastern façade.

7.6.2.3. Finishing: The decorative brick sections are painted yellow and white.

7.6.2.4. Vertical division of the tiers: There are 6 pilasters dividing the façade.

7.6.2.5. Horizontal division of the tiers: There is an intermediate cornice or molding separating the two tiers.

7.6.3. Crowning element of the façade: The façade is ultimately finished by a brick cornice.

8. Description of the interior space, room by room: The wall that separates the prayer hall from the women’s gallery and the synagogue rooms has been preserved.

8.1. Description of the room: Much has been changed and a staircase has been added on the southwestern wall.

8.1.3. Pavement: The floors are wooden.

8.1.4. Walls: The walls are white plaster and decorated with wood paneling on the lower half in the hallways.

8.1.4.1. Location and number of the door/window openings: The locations correspond with the descriptions of the facades.

8.1.4.2. Outlines of the openings: All the openings are either rectangular or have flat arches.

8.1.4.3. Frames of the openings: The frames are wooded and either two or three-sashed. The doors are two-sashed with 3 panels.

8.1.5. Floor spanning the room: The floors are smooth.

9. Torah Ark: The original Torah niche was replaced by a window.

10. Bimah: The bimah no longer exists.