In Lviv, archaeologists to excavate site of Great City Synagogue

During the week, the archaeological research is planned to be held on the site where once the Great City Synagogue was located in Lviv. Excavations will be carried out by experts of the Rescue Archaeological Service research centre of the IA NAS of Ukraine following the request of the Lviv City Council. This was reported by the Rescue Archeological Service.

"We are starting to implement the second phase of the Space of the Synagogue project which relates to the territory of the lost Great City Synagogue. It involves the archaeological research of this site. On the basis of the information that has been preserved underground, a project will be developed to arrange the square,” said Lilia Onyshchenko, Chief of the Department for Preservation of Historical Environment of the Lviv City Council.

According to Oleh Osaulchuk, director of the Rescue Archaeological Service, he plans to complete the field work in two months. But the deadlines of the work will depend on how soon the client - the Lviv City Council - will grant access to the site. Currently the area between Staroyevreyska and Brativ Rohatyntsiv streets, where they have to do research, is occupied with recreational summer locations.

The Great City Synagogue was built in 1801 in a Baroque-classic style on the site of the previous demolished synagogue. In 1943, it was destroyed by the German Nazis. In Soviet times, the ruins were dismantled. In 1976, on the site of the synagogue, excavations were carried out, after which the area was restored, having leveled the foundations of the synagogue of 1801.

During this year's work, besides the preserved foundations of the Great City Synagogue, archaeologists also hope to explore the remains of the older synagogue – a Gothic-styled one, which was at this place before. Its fragments were discovered during studies that were conducted on a segment of the site in 2012.

“Seven years ago, we only managed to partially discover the remains of the Gothic synagogue, and now we would like to pursue these studies further. Then we discovered the stone elements - stairs, stone paving and framing, which have been preserved in a very good condition,” explained the archaeologist of the Rescue Archaeological Service Ostap Lazurka. This is reported by Dyvys.info.