Choral Synagogue

At the beginning of the 19th century, there were about 20 synagogues in Drohobych, but only eight have survived to our time because of wars. One of them is the choral synagogue on P. Orlyk St., built in 1865. The Jewish community initiated the construction. It was one of the largest synagogues not only in Western Ukraine, but also in Europe. It was built on the model of a German synagogue in the city of Kassel. However, the German prototype was destroyed, while its Romanesque-style analogue is still in Drohobych.

Photo from uk.wikipedia.org

During the war years, the synagogue was used as a shop. Only at the end of the 20th century was it handed over to the Jewish community. However, this did not lead to the restoration of the building; on the contrary, it was looted and set on fire. Since then, the synagogue has been repeatedly restored with patrons' funds. However, a lack of funds has meant that the building is now used as a venue for festivals and exhibitions.

Interesting facts:

• Thanks to salt extraction, many Jewish merchants appeared in the city, which became the reason for building the synagogue.
• The choral synagogue was built over 23 years.
• The choral synagogue was painted in their works by well-known artists: Gottlieb, Matejko and others.