🔗 Share this article Safeguarding Kyiv's Heritage: An Urban Center Rebuilding Itself in the Shadow of Conflict. Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. The restoration team had given the moniker its ornate transom window the “croissant”, a lighthearted tribute to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she stated, appreciating its branch-like details. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who marked the occasion with two lively pavement parties. It was also an demonstration of opposition against an invading force, she clarified: “We strive to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of staying in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, relocating to a foreign land. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.” “We are trying to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the most positive way.” Protecting Kyiv’s built legacy could be considered strange at a moment when missile strikes frequently hit the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers seal broken windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to secure residential buildings. Among the Bombs, a Campaign for History Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been striving to conserve the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its exterior is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers. “They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko stated. The building was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings close by exhibit analogous art nouveau elements, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a turret on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil. Several Threats to Legacy But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who raze listed buildings, corrupt officials and a administrative body apathetic or resistant to the city’s profound architectural history. The harsh winter climate presents another challenge. “Kyiv is a city where money wins. We don’t have substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He asserted the city’s leadership was allied with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital harks back to a different time. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals. Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once protected older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The protracted conflict meant that all citizens was facing economic hardship, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and governing institutions,” he contended. Demolition and Neglect One egregious location of loss is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had agreed to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the 2022 invasion, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a unfriendly security guard. Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while claiming they were doing “archaeological research”, he said. A previous regime also inflicted immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its central boulevard after the second world war so it could allow for military vehicles. Continuing the Work One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors remain, she said. “It wasn’t external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character vine-clad house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and period-correct railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left.” The building’s resident, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not cherish the past? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from such cultural awareness,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added. Therapy in Action Some buildings are falling apart because of institutional abandonment. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons nested among its smashed windows; rubbish lay under a storybook tower. “Many times we are unsuccessful,” she acknowledged. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are attempting to save all this past and beauty.” In the face of conflict and neglect, these citizens continue their work, one facade at a time, believing that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its history.
Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. The restoration team had given the moniker its ornate transom window the “croissant”, a lighthearted tribute to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she stated, appreciating its branch-like details. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who marked the occasion with two lively pavement parties. It was also an demonstration of opposition against an invading force, she clarified: “We strive to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of staying in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, relocating to a foreign land. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.” “We are trying to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the most positive way.” Protecting Kyiv’s built legacy could be considered strange at a moment when missile strikes frequently hit the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers seal broken windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to secure residential buildings. Among the Bombs, a Campaign for History Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been striving to conserve the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its exterior is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers. “They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko stated. The building was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings close by exhibit analogous art nouveau elements, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a turret on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil. Several Threats to Legacy But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who raze listed buildings, corrupt officials and a administrative body apathetic or resistant to the city’s profound architectural history. The harsh winter climate presents another challenge. “Kyiv is a city where money wins. We don’t have substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He asserted the city’s leadership was allied with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital harks back to a different time. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals. Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once protected older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The protracted conflict meant that all citizens was facing economic hardship, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and governing institutions,” he contended. Demolition and Neglect One egregious location of loss is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had agreed to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the 2022 invasion, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a unfriendly security guard. Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while claiming they were doing “archaeological research”, he said. A previous regime also inflicted immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its central boulevard after the second world war so it could allow for military vehicles. Continuing the Work One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors remain, she said. “It wasn’t external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character vine-clad house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and period-correct railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left.” The building’s resident, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not cherish the past? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from such cultural awareness,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added. Therapy in Action Some buildings are falling apart because of institutional abandonment. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons nested among its smashed windows; rubbish lay under a storybook tower. “Many times we are unsuccessful,” she acknowledged. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are attempting to save all this past and beauty.” In the face of conflict and neglect, these citizens continue their work, one facade at a time, believing that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its history.