Summary

The architecture of sacral and parish buildings in Onuškis Valsčius

Marija Rupeikienė, Antanas Rupeika

The following sites where sacral buildings stand or had stood have been investigated: Onuškis, Dusmenys, Panošiškės, Vytautava, Žilinai and Žydkaimis.

Onuškis has the Catholic church with a belfry, church yard fence with the sites of chapels of the Way of Cross and three gates, as well as two parsonages and an almshouse; while the wooden synagogue has rotted away. The compound of church buildings is in the central part of the town. The existing church had been built in 1823–1829. Its exterior witnesses modest architecture traits of classicism and folk romanticism. The fence of the church-yard is with uprights, i.e., sites of the Way of Cross stations, the wide and narrow gates going well with he architecture of the church. The belfry of laconic ethnical architectural forms stands away of the fence. Parsonage homestead consists of two buildings (parson’s house and olden brick-built parsonage) and two outhouses; the buildings are sited in regular order and make a semi-closed yard. The parsonage built of red and yellow bricks is a two-storey building. The almshouse of laconic architecture stands in front of the church.

The Dusmenys Catholic Church compound consists of the church with a belfry and makeshift parsonage. Beside this compound there is the parsonage and outhouses; an almshouse had been on the opposite side of the street. The Dusmenys church is of simple folk classicism forms; its interior is miscellaneous with eclectic elements. The belfry is of laconic forms and traditional architecture. The makeshift parsonage is of simple architecture; its windows are mainly widened. Of the former olden wooden parsonage, its shape, roof form, wooden open porch of portico style and wooden under-roof cornice have remained.

In Vytautava there is a church and a parsonage with an outhouse on both sides of the street cutting the village, between the churchyard and the cemetery. The church is of laconic forms, simple architecture reflecting the stylistics of the inter-war period. The parsonage is of traditional architecture, but very untended.

In Žilinai there is a church, a parsonage homestead and an almshouse (olden parsonage) standing a bit away. The architecture of the church is not integral. The forms of the main facade reflect laconic inter-war stylistics; the shape of windows on the side facades and interior decor elements are more typical of that of historicism period. The makeshift parsonage is of forms typical of ethnic architecture. The existing parsonage is of laconic architecture. The architecture of the almshouse had been original, with elements of ethnic and stylish architecture decors; after the repair works done, the building lost its authenticity.

The Chapel of Panošiškės is set out in the former culture house. Its purpose is seen from a trapezium-shaped pedestal built above the roof ridge with openwork cross.

In Žydkaimis there was a wooden synagogue. In 2015, near the synagogue, there was a little wooden house. The building is very untended. A rabbi is supposed to have lived there.