Bila Tserkva

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Bila Tserkva Біла Церква
City
From top, left to right: View of the Church of St. John the Baptist on Castle Hill Echo Collonade Branicki Winter Palace
Flag Coat of arms
Bila Tserkva Location of Bila Tserkva Show map of Kyiv Oblast Bila Tserkva Bila Tserkva (Ukraine) Show map of Ukraine
Coordinates: 49°47′56″N 30°06′55″E / 49.79889°N 30.11528°E / 49.79889; 30.11528
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Kyiv Oblast
Raion	Bila Tserkva Raion
Hromada	Bila Tserkva urban hromada
Founded	1032
Magdeburg Rights	1589
Government
• Head of City Council	Gennadii Dykyi
Area
• Total	67.8 km2 (26.2 sq mi)
Elevation	178 m (584 ft)
Population  (2022)
• Total	207,273
• Density	3,100/km2 (7,900/sq mi)
Postal code	09100-09117
Area code	(+380) 4563
Vehicle registration	AI/10
Sister cities	Barysaw, Jingzhou, Kaunas, Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, Kremenchuk
Website	http://bc-rada.gov.ua/

Bila Tserkva (Ukrainian: Біла Церква [ˈbilɐ ˈtsɛrkwɐ] ^ⓘ; lit. ''White Church'', Polish: Biała Cerkiew) is a city in central Ukraine. It is situated on the Ros River in the historical region of right-bank Ukraine. It is the largest city in Kyiv Oblast (which does not include the city of Kyiv) and serves as the administrative centre of Bila Tserkva Raion and Bila Tserkva urban hromada,^[1] and has a population of 207,273 (2022 estimate).^[2], 205,000 (2024 estimate).^[3]

The oldest preserved document that mentions the city, at that time called Yuryiv, is the Hypatian Codex (1115). Historically, the city has been at the centre of the Porossia (River Ros) region. Founded as a border fortification of Kievan Rus', Bila Tserkva later became property of Polish nobility and served as a prominent commercial centre. Since the 19th century, industry and tourism have been important elements of the city's economy. Under Soviet rule, Bila Tserkva became a centre of agricultural education. During the Cold War, a major Soviet Air Force base was located near the city.

As part of independent Ukraine, Bila Tserkva served as a city of regional significance until 2020. In the aftermath of the administrative reform, it became the centre of one of hromadas (communities) of Kyiv Oblast.