Preserving Kyiv's Heritage: An Urban Center Rebuilding Its Foundations in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “crescent roll”, a playful reference to its arched shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peafowl,” she remarked, gazing at its twig-detailed details. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who marked the occasion with several lively pavement parties.

It was also an demonstration of opposition against a neighboring state, she elaborated: “We strive to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. Fear does not drive us of staying in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to another European nation. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like ordinary people regardless of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way.”

Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear unusual at a moment when drone attacks routinely fall the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each attack, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Bombs, a Battle for Identity

In the midst of war, a band of activists has been attempting to save the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the downtown Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was first the home of a prosperous fur dealer. Its exterior is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and intricate camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce nowadays,” Danylenko stated. The residence was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity exhibit comparable art nouveau features, including a lack of symmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a small tower on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two unhappy white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Multiple Dangers to History

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish listed buildings, dishonest officials and a political leadership apathetic or resistant to the city’s profound architectural history. The severe winter climate presents another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s mayor was closely associated with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov further alleged that the plan for the capital comes straight out of a previous decade. The mayor denies these claims, saying they originate from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once protected older properties were now engaged in combat or had been fallen. The lengthy conflict meant that everyone was facing monetary strain, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see deterioration of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Loss and Disregard

One egregious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had agreed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the onset of major hostilities, heavy machinery razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new commercial complex, observed by a surly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while claiming they were doing “archaeological research”, he said. A 20th-century empire also caused immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could allow for large-scale parades.

Carrying the Torch

One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while engaged in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many erected for the city’s prosperous entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their original doors survived, she said.

“It was not foreign rockets that got rid of them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character ivy-draped house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and authentic railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now not a thing will be left.”

The building’s resident, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not cherish the past? “Sadly they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still some distance away from civilization,” he said. Soviet-era ways of thinking persisted, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Hope in Action

Some buildings are crumbling because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons made their home among its shattered windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Often we lose the battle,” she conceded. “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 commercial interests, these activists continue their work, one facade at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s identity, you must first cherish its history.