Protecting the Capital's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her freshly fitted front door. Volunteers had affectionately dubbed its ornate transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peafowl,” she remarked, admiring its twig-detailed ornamentation. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who commemorated the work with a couple of lively pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance in the face of a foreign power, she elaborated: “We strive to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the most positive way. We’re not afraid of living in our country. I could have left, relocating to a foreign land. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance represents our dedication to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like ordinary people regardless of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the best possible way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s historic buildings may appear paradoxical at a period when aerial assaults frequently hit the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, offensive operations have been significantly intensified. After each strike, workers cover broken windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Amid the Explosions, a Campaign for Beauty

Amid the bombs, a group of activists has been striving to preserve the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was first the home of a prosperous fur dealer. Its facade is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko stated. The building was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase comparable art nouveau elements, including an irregular shape – with a medieval spire on one side and a small tower on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two unhappy white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Several Dangers to History

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish protected buildings, unethical officials and a political leadership indifferent or resistant to the city’s profound architectural history. The bitter winter climate presents another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We are missing real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was closely associated with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov stated that the vision for the capital harks back to a different time. The mayor has refuted these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once protected older properties were now engaged in combat or had been lost. The lengthy conflict meant that everyone was facing monetary strain, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see deterioration of our society and governing institutions,” he argued.

Destruction and Abandonment

One notorious demolition site is in the waterside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. A day after the 2022 invasion, diggers razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a surly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its primary street after the second world war so it could facilitate military vehicles.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most renowned champions of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was killed in 2022 while serving in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his vital preservation work. There were originally 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many erected for the city’s wealthy business magnates. Only 80 of their period doors are still in existence, she said.

“It wasn’t foreign rockets that eliminated them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could last another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now little will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character creeper-covered house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and operates as a film set and museum. The property has a new vermilion portal and original-style railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now little will be left.”

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not value the past? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking lingered, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Therapy in Restoration

Some buildings are crumbling because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna showed a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had collapsed; pigeons nested among its shattered windows; refuse lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we don’t win,” she admitted. “This activity is a form of healing for us. We are trying to save all this heritage and splendour.”

In the face of destruction and neglect, these citizens continue their work, one door at a time, stating that to save a city’s identity, you must first cherish its history.