Authorities in the city of Mariinsk in Siberia's Kemerovo region have put four buildings designated as cultural heritage sites up for auction, including a historic synagogue built in the late 19th century. The opening price for each building was set at just one ruble — less than 4 agorot ($0.01).
According to an announcement by the Mariinsk District Municipal Property Management Committee, the auction is being held as part of a privatization process and was posted on the Russian electronic trading platform RTS-Tender. Bids may be submitted until Oct. 15, with the auction expected to take place five days later.
The building that served as the synagogue
(Photo: From a Russian mapping website)
The synagogue, at 45 Lenin Street, is a two-story stone building covering about 510 square meters (5,490 square feet). According to local authorities, it was built in 1896 as a house of worship for the city's Jewish community. Official sources in the Kemerovo region confirm that the building was originally constructed as a synagogue.
The Jewish community used the building until the early 1930s, when it ceased serving its original purpose. From 1931 to 1941, it housed the Soviet Dynamo sports club, after which the building served as a municipal post office. It has stood vacant and unused since 1999.
The building is described as partially ruined and requires extensive renovation and preservation work. Preservation requirements stipulate that its original spatial and structural design, brick walls and stylistic elements on its facades must be maintained.
The three other buildings put up for sale are a historic residential building covering about 349 square meters (3,756 square feet) at 15 Rabochaya Street, the cultural hall of a former distillery covering about 2,800 square meters (30,139 square feet) and a 428-square-meter (4,607-square-foot) house with an adjoining plot of land at 22 Rabochaya Street.
The buildings are being sold as part of the regional "House for a Ruble" investment project. The synagogue at 45 Lenin Street is currently recognized as one of Mariinsk's heritage buildings.