One Of Largest Synagogues In Belarus Up For Auction
- 25.04.2025, 14:52
It is being sold to pay off the debts of a well-known developer.
A unique building has been put up for auction in Kobryn — one of the largest synagogues in Belarus. Interestingly, the building is being sold to pay off the debts of the Zhilstroykomplekt company. This developer “became famous” for collecting money from equity holders, but never completed the construction of a residential complex in Minsk. It turns out that the company also owned an old building in Kobryn. Now the synagogue is being put up for sale at the BelYurObespechenie property sale site, Realt writes.
The old building is located in the Brest region — in the city of Kobryn, on Pershamaiskaya Street, 40.
The total area of the synagogue is 1,068 square meters. The religious building has an attic and several extensions. Judging by the photographs, the synagogue has long been abandoned. At the same time, the building has the status of a historical and cultural heritage site.
The stone synagogue in Kobrin appeared in the 18th century, since at that time the city's population was predominantly Jewish. About 100 years ago, there were more than 7 synagogues in Kobrin, but after the war, only this one survived. By the way, in terms of its size, the Kobryn synagogue is one of the largest in Belarus.
During the war, the synagogue was the center of the ghetto, where the Nazis drove the Jewish population from all over the area. After the war, the synagogue was no longer operational. All valuable property was taken out of here, and the building was used for production purposes.
For example, in the 80s, there was a workshop for the production of beer and soft drinks of the Kobrin cannery. Since the 90s, the building began to fall into disrepair. Of course, there were plans to restore the religious building: they planned to open a cultural center of the Jews of Western Belarus, a museum of the history and ethnography of the Jews of the Brest region, and an operational synagogue. However, they have not yet been able to implement them.
The property is currently being sold for the debts of the previous owner, the Zhilstroykomplekt company. Many Minsk residents know this company because it was the one that built (and did not complete) the Grushevsky Posad residential complex. Let us recall that the shareholders (430 of whom were in total) gave the developer more than 58 million rubles, but they never saw their apartments. As a result, the long-suffering residential complex was completed by a state developer, and the founders of Zhilstroykomplekt were sentenced to prison terms.
Among the encumbrances on the lot is the arrest of investigative bodies and a ban on registration actions.
In addition to the old building, the new owner will receive a land plot of 57 acres. It will be provided on the right of permanent use. The land can only be used for the placement of religious (cult) facilities.
The electronic auction for which the synagogue is put up for sale is scheduled for May 15. Applications are accepted until May 14.
The initial cost of the building is 612 thousand rubles (about 200 thousand dollars).