{{short description|City in Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine}} {{Expand Ukrainian|topic=geo|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Shpola | native_name = {{lang|uk|Шпола}} | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = File:Памятник Т.Шевченку в Шполі, Черкащина.TIF | imagesize = 250px | image_caption = Taras Shevchenko monument | image_flag = Shpola prapor.png | image_shield = Coat of arms of shpola.PNG | nickname = | motto = | image_map = | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Map of Ukraine of Shpola within Cherkasy Oblast. | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{UKR}} | subdivision_type1 = Oblast | subdivision_name1 = Cherkasy Oblast | subdivision_type2 = Raion | subdivision_name2 = Zvenyhorodka Raion | established_title = First mentioned | established_date = 1594 | established_title1 = City rights | established_date1 = 1938 | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Sergiy Kravchenko (since 2015) | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 61.29 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | population_as_of = 2022 | population_note = | population_total = 16,323 | population_footnotes = | population_metro = | population_density_km2 = | pushpin_map = Ukraine Cherkasy Oblast#Ukraine | pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Shpola | pushpin_mapsize = | coordinates = {{coord|48|59|59|N|31|23|32|E|region:UA|display=inline,title}} | elevation_m = | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 20600—20609 | area_code = +380 4741 | blank_info = | blank1_info = | blank1_name = Sister cities, Oskaloosa | website = | footnotes = | subdivision_type3 = Hromada | subdivision_name3 = Shpola urban hromada }} '''Shpola''' ({{langx|uk|Шпола}} {{IPA|uk|ˈʃpɔlɐ||audio=LL-Q8798 (ukr)-Gzhegozh-Шпола.wav}}) is a city located in Zvenyhorodka Raion of Cherkasy Oblast (province) in central Ukraine. In May 2011, a 14-meter monument was installed on the outskirts of the city, claiming that Shpola is the geographical center of Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ПРОЧЕРК |title=«Забили в серце України запорізьку палю», - краєзнавець про знак «географічний центр» — ПРОЧЕРК.інфо |url=https://procherk.info/resonance/2-cherkassy-news/2392-zabili-v-sertse-ukrayini-zaporizku-palju-kraeznavets-pro-znak-geografichnij-tsentr |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=ПРОЧЕРК |language=uk-ua}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Geographical Centre of Ukraine |url=https://ua.igotoworld.com/en/poi_object/68822_geograficheskiy-centr-ukrainy.htm |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=UA.IGotoWorld.com}}</ref> It hosts the administration of Shpola urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.<ref name="admreform_2020_shpola">{{cite web |title=Шполянська територіальна громада |url=https://decentralization.gov.ua/newgromada/4867/composition |publisher=decentralization.gov.ua |language=uk}}</ref> It had a population of {{Ua-pop-est2022|16323|.}}
==Administrative status== In 1797, Shpola became part of the Zvenigorod district in the Kiev Governorate. It has been a city since 1938.<ref name="autogenerated1">Шпола // Большой энциклопедический словарь (в 2-х тт.). / редколл., гл. ред. А. М. Прохоров. том 2. М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1991. стр.668</ref> Until 18 July 2020, Shpola served as an administrative center of Shpola Raion. The raion was abolished in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Cherkasy Oblast to four. The area of Shpola Raion was merged into Zvenyhorodka Raion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-07-18 |title=Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ. |language=uk |website=Голос України |url=http://www.golos.com.ua/article/333466 |access-date=2020-10-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Нові райони: карти + склад |url=https://www.minregion.gov.ua/press/news/novi-rajony-karty-sklad/ |publisher=Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України |language=Ukrainian}}</ref>
== History == After the revolution of 1917, Shpola became first a part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and then of the USSR.
During World War II, Nazi Germany invaded USSR, and the Jewish population of Shpola was massacred in 1942. Today Jews make up around 0.5% of Shpola's population.
== Demographics == In 1847, Shpola's Jewish population numbered 1,156. By 1897, that number had grown to 5,388 of a total population of 11,933, or about 45%. This level held steady until the Second World War. In 1989, the population of the city was 22,378 people.<ref>[http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/sng89_reg2.php Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность городского населения союзных республик, их территориальных единиц, городских поселений и городских районов по полу]</ref><ref name="autogenerated1" />
== Sister city == Shpola is a sister city with Oskaloosa, Iowa.
== Notable people == * Ivan Kulyk (1897-1937) - Ukrainian poet, short stories writer, and diplomat; * Lev Shvartzman (1907-1955) -- a senior Soviet secret police officer, known for his brutality; * Oleksandr Tkachenko (1939-2024) - chairman of Ukrainian parliament; * Itzik Feffer (1900-1952) - Yiddish poet; * Aryeh Leib of Shpola, "der Shpoler zeyde" (Yiddish: ''"the grandfather of Shpola"'') (1725-1812) - Hasidic leader.
== See also ==
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Abaza's palace in Shpola.jpg|Abaza Palace File:Hovkivka.JPG|Khovkivka River near Shpola File:Дар'ївське заповідне урочище.JPG|Darivka Park File:Schpola Ukraine Sept2008 Taras Shevchenko statute.jpg|Taras Shevchenko statue File:Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Shpola, Ukraine.jpg|Ukrainian Orthodox Church </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}} Shpola Room at the Jewish Escape Room in Brooklyn: This link appears current: https://www.everyescaperoom.com/new-york-ny/onebefore-escape-shpola-room This one brings a "404"message:https://OneBeforeEscape.com/shpola {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001175234/https://www.onebeforeescape.com/shpola |date=2020-10-01 }} *{{in lang|uk}} (1972) ''Історія міст і сіл Української CCP - Черкаська область (History of Towns and Villages of the Ukrainian SSR - Cherkasy Oblast)'', Kyiv.
{{Cherkasy Oblast}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Cities in Cherkasy Oblast Category:Kiev Governorate Category:Historic Jewish communities in Ukraine Category:Cities of district significance in Ukraine Category:Holocaust locations in Ukraine