The Ašmiany synagogue of the early 20th century is considered one of the most interesting Jewish religious buildings that have survived on the Belarusian territory.

Jews appeared in Ašmiany in the 17th century, and in 1880 they constituted 50% of the total city population. The red brick synagogue was built for the needs of the Jews of Ašmiany in 1912. During World War II, the synagogue and adjacent streets were turned into a ghetto, there were more than 4 thousand prisoners in it. In line with the anti-religious policy, in the days of the BSSR the synagogue was closed and used as a warehouse for consumer cooperation products. The building was transferred to the Ašmiany museum of local lore balance in independent Belarus in 2012. In 2018, the Belarusian Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Ašmiany museum of local lore jointly implemented the concept “Development of community-based restoration concept for former Ašmiany synagogue”.

Ašmiany synagogue is an example of classicism. As in other synagogues in Belarus, the embodiment of the ark stylized image is reflected there. The synagogue is characterized by a minimum of ornamental and plastic decoration: pilasters, horizontal belts and cornices, arched and semi-arched ends of openings.

Publication date: 19.01.2021.

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