In his photo archive I noticed a photo of one unrealized project. This is the Roman Catholic Church, which in the early years of the twentieth century planned to build on a fair central square of Maliovanka. On this plan today only few people know the story on the uncreated very interesting architectural masterpiece.
Author of the project – a talented architect, engineer Mieczyslaw Librovych that at the end of the 19th century came to Zhytomyr. He was the representative of the Warsaw architectural and Construction Company, whose office was located in Kyivska Street in building of Bogdanovych. This house still stands opposite the cinema “Ukraine”.
Soon, young, successful Mieczyslaw fell in love with local beauty, married and for a long time remained in the city. Worked hard in the events of 1917, his further fate is not known to me. Fortunately, his other architectural projects have been implemented to date and please the eye.
This is the house of Catholic Bishops, where Regional Museum is located, and Holy Cross Church on the Castle Square, and Farmers Bank building, which is now the regional management of the SSU, and another Lutheran church and Water tower near Pushkin.
Librovych put his effort to build Zhytomyr notorious prison, where since the completion of construction in 1914 no prisoner escaped. But in my opinion, the best his plan Mr. Mieczyslaw hasn’t embodied in the life…
A history of this project is the next: in 1905 Maliovanka Catholic community residents, and Pavlykivky Zakam’yanky taking into consideration distance from the city to center, turned to the Roman Catholic consistory and asked for permission to build the temple. There was a petition to the City Council, which gave to this land the best location (here today is the playground of secondary school I-III №1).
In future donations from parishioners were ordered architectural design favorably accepted by believers and the City Council. Construction began in 1909; its planned total cost was 29 thousand rubles. For comparison, at that time wage of skilled workers was 50-80 rubles per month, and a military general, depending on the position, received 350-500 rubles.
But suddenly for the foundation it was spent more than anticipated. The interior, which exercised control over the use of money sent to Zhytomyr circular, which has halted activities until they collected the necessary funds. Because of lack of money, work resumed only in late 1913, but the intentions were destroyed by the First World War. Zhytomyr became a front-line city with the need to maintain military rear. Then imperialist war turned into a civic, church re-creation was not in time, and in 1917, after the October coup, and even more. The Soviet government strongly and firmly “abolished” religion and the church, while construction began on the farms. In the difficult postwar years, something that had beenpreviously built, was dismantled for household purposes, even trace was’t left. It is a pity that it happened! Maybe the house would be an architectural gem, a decoration of Zhytomyr.
S.Sobchuk
Member of the National Union of ethnographers Ukraine
Translated by Aliona Matushevich