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Great Synagogue (Zhovkva, Lviv region, Ukraine)

The Zhovkva Synagogue is a monument of architecture, history and culture in the city of Zhovkva (Lviv region, Ukraine). One of the largest synagogues in Europe.

The Great Synagogue was the main synagogue of the Jewish community in Zhovkva (Zółkiew). It was built between 1692 and 1698 with a financial loan from King John III Sobieski, and was hence also known as the Sobieski Shul.

The building's roof and most of its interior were destroyed during the Holocaust. It was afterwards used as a warehouse. Partial rebuilding was carried out in 1955–1956 and 1992, but the synagogue has continued to deteriorate nonetheless. It was included in the 2000 World Monuments Watch.

The first information about Zhovki Jews comes from 1600. The Russian voivode Stanislav Zholkivsky then allowed the Jews to build their shrine. The Zhovki community was a Lviv parish and was organized into an independent parish only in 1620.

The first synagogue on this site was built of wood in 1625, and it burned down soon after. Since 1601, the city has had a street called Zhidivska, which passed by the Zhidivska Gate. In 1635, the Jewish community received a privilege from Stanislav Danylovych, and in 1664, 1678 and 1687 - privileges from Jan III Sobieski, according to which the community received permission to build a brick synagogue. However, it was only in 1692 that construction permission was received from Lviv Archbishop Jan Lipskyi.

History of the synagogue

The construction of the new synagogue began immediately in 1692, under the leadership of the royal "mason" (architect) Peter Beber. The construction was completed in 1698 or 1700. At the end of the 17th century, the synagogue had such a refined appearance that the Catholic clergy forbade it to be whitewashed, so as not to overshadow the Zhovki churches. Since then, the church has undergone only partial repairs.

In the 18th century, the western part and buttresses were added to the synagogue. After the fire of 1833, the partially damaged synagogue was restored.

In 1908, the interior was unprofessionally repainted, without the conservator's consent, the remains of polychromy were destroyed.

In 1935, the building was renovated, but this time also in an unprofessional manner. The entire building was restored in 1938.

During the German occupation in June 1941, the synagogue was blown up, as a result of which the ceilings and interior were destroyed.

It was partially restored in 1955-1956. Until the early 1990s, the premises were used as a warehouse.

In 2000, the restoration of the building began. But after thefts and money laundering, the restoration was stopped. As of 2013, the building is in a state of disrepair. Restoration works are not carried out.

Architecture

The Zhovkiv Synagogue is one of the largest defensive buildings in the Renaissance style in Europe; late renaissance style supplemented with baroque elements. The synagogue was adjacent to the city walls and the Jewish Gate, and the synagogue itself, thanks to its thick walls with loopholes, could be used as a tower of city fortifications, and artillery could be installed on its roof.

The synagogue was built of stone and brick. It had a traditional orientation to the east. Based on a rectangular plan. Adjacent to the main square hall from the south and west are two rectangular buildings dating from the later construction period. The women's gallery was located above the courtyard.

In the center, four round pillars support a cross vault, dividing the space of the hall into 9 fields. The nine-field planning scheme was typical for synagogues in Western Ukraine of the 17th–18th centuries.

The main volume of the synagogue is crowned with a Renaissance attic, which is supported by a profile gzims. The attic is decorated with hollow arches with loopholes. It ends with a crown preserved on the western facade and is flanked by hexagonal turrets with arches.

The eastern facade is reinforced with buttresses, cut with large semi-circular window openings and one round one above the Torah arch.

The interior is made in Renaissance style. The walls along the perimeter are decorated with an arcature belt of the Tuscan order. The Bimah, that is, the pulpit intended for reading the Torah scrolls, had the shape of a circular elevation and rose six steps above the floor. On the eastern wall, the niche of the Aron Hakodeshu (ritual niche for storing Torah scrolls) has been preserved. Aron Hakodesh is luxuriously decorated with baroque stucco. Fragments of the frieze, polychrome wall painting and inscriptions that reproduce the texts of the Torah have been preserved in the interior.

The main entrance of the men's hall is decorated with a Renaissance portal with a pediment. The western wall of the main room is cut with bow holes. The wall is covered with a barrel vault with formwork. A two-story gallery with three doorways adjoins the main building on the west side.

The present day

In 1994, a group of architects headed by I. Maksymiuk carried out a survey and architectural measurements of the synagogue. The Zhovki Defense Synagogue was included in the list of the New York Foundation of World Monuments "100 World Monuments in Danger", as a result of which restoration began in 2000, although the building is still in an unsatisfactory condition.

In the future, the opening of the Jewish Center of Galicia is planned here. The Zhovkiv Synagogue is also known for its imitations; in particular, there are synagogues of the "Zhovkiv type" in Tel Aviv.