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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Bila Tserkva, Ukraine
| official_name = Bila Tserkva
| native_name = Бiла Церква
| native_name = Бiла Церква
| nickname =
| nickname =

Revision as of 00:24, 22 July 2013

Bila Tserkva
Бiла Церква
Church of John the Baptist, Bila Tserkva
Church of John the Baptist, Bila Tserkva
Flag of Bila Tserkva
Flag
Coat of arms of Bila Tserkva
Coat of arms
CountryUkraine
OblastKiev Oblast
RaionBila Tserkva City Municipality
Founded1032
Magdeburg Rights1589
Government
 • Head of City
Council		Vasyl Savchuk
Area
 • Total34.77 km2 (13.42 sq mi)
Elevation
148 m (486 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total210,977
 • Density6,100/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
Postal code
09100-09117
Area code(+380) 4563
Vehicle registrationAI/10
Sister citiesBarysaw, Jingzhou, Kaunas, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Noginsk, Kremenchuk
Websitehttp://www.bilatserkva.info/

Bila Tserkva (Ukrainian: Бiла Церква, Polish: Biała Cerkiew, Russian: Белая Церковь, literally White Church) is a city in central Ukraine, the largest city in Kiev Oblast.[1] Bila Tserkva is located on the Ros' River approximately 80 km (50 mi) south of Kiev. Population 203,300 (1 January 2004 est.) Area 34 km².[2]

Serving as the administrative center of the Bilotserkivskyi Raion (district), Bila Tserkva is a city of oblast subordinance thus being subject directly to the oblast authorities rather to the raion administration housed in the city itself.

History

The town was founded in 1032 as Yuriev by Yaroslav the Wise, whose Christian name was Yuri. The present name of the city, literally translated, is "White Church" and may refer to the (no longer existing) white-painted cathedral of medieval Yuriev. Since 1363 it belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and since 1569 to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Was granted Magdeburg Rights in 1620 by Sigismund III Vasa.

The Treaty of Bila Tserkva between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Ukrainian Cossack rebels under Bohdan Khmelnytsky was signed here in 1651.[3]

Beginning in the second half of the 18th century, Bila Tserkva (Biała Cerkiew), then the seat of the sub-prefecture (starostwo), was the property of the Branicki family. Franciszek Ksawery Branicki, Poland's Grand Hetman, built there his urban residence – the Winter Palace complex and a country residence with the park "Alexandria" (named after his wife). He founded a Catholic church of John the Baptist and started construction of the Orthodox church which was completed by his successor – count Władysław Grzegorz Branicki. The latter one built also the gymnasium-school complex in Bila Tserkva. Aleksander Branicki, the grandson of the hetman, renovated and finished the Mazepa's Orthodox church. Under the rule of count Władysław Michał Branicki, Bila Tserkva developed into a regional commercial and manufacturing centre.[4][5]

Bila Tserkva was annexed into Russian Empire as a result of the Second Partition of Poland in 1793.

After 1861, the Tzarist authorities converted the Roman Catholic church into an Orthodox Church.[6] During the Soviet times Bila Tserkva became a large industrial hub (machine building and construction industry).

Preceding the Russian Revolution and until the 1930s, there was a significant Jewish community here. Some were driven out by Cossacks and Tzarist policies. Many were driven out in the Stalinist purges. Most remnants were destroyed during the Holocaust and other losses during the Second World War.

During the Cold War, the town was host to the 72nd Krasnograd Motor Rifle Division[7] and the 251st Instructor Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment of Long Range Aviation.[8]

Sights

Notable buildings include the covered market (1809–1814) and the complex of post buildings (1825–31). There are also Palladian wooden buildings of the Branickis' "Winter Palace" and the district nobility assembly. The church of St. Nicholas was started in 1706 but was not completed until 1852. The Orthodox cathedral of the Saviour's Transfiguration was constructed in 1833–1839, while the Catholic Church dates to 1812.

A historical landscape park "Alexandria" of 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) is situated in Bila Tserkva. It was founded in 1793 by the wife of the Polish hetman Franciszek Ksawery Branicki.

Activities

The city is home to football team FC Ros' Bila Tserkva. Ros is a team in the lower levels of the Ukrainian Football League.

Industry in the city includes Railway Brake product manufacturers "Tribo Rail", "Bilotserkivsky Zavod Tribo Ltd" and the major automobile tire manufacturer "Rosava".

Famous people

See also

References

  1. ^ (after Kiev which is the administrative center, but not part of the oblast)
  2. ^ General information about the city, at Bila Tserkva official web-site
  3. ^ Paul Robert Magocsi, A history of Ukraine, University of Toronto Press, 1996, p. 205
  4. ^ E. A. Chernecki, L. P. Mordatenko, Bila Tserkva. Branicki family. Alexandria, Ogrody rezydencji magnackich XVIII-XIX wieku w Europie Środkowej i Wschodniej oraz problemy ich ochrony, Ośrodek Ochrony Zabytkowego Krajobrazu—Narodowa Instytucja Kultury, 2001, p.114
  5. ^ Marek Ruszczyc, Dzieje rodu i fortuny Branickich, Delikon, 1991, p. 148
  6. ^ Lucjan Blit, The origins of Polish socialism: the history and ideas of the first Polish Socialist Party 1878–1886, Cambridge University Press, 1971, p. 21
  7. ^ Carey Schofield, Inside the Soviet Army, Headline Book Publishing, 2001, 132.
  8. ^ Michael Holm, 251st Instructor Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, accessed December 2012.
  9. ^ For more images of the park "Alexandria", see klymenko.data-tec.net
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