Safeguarding the Capital's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Itself Amidst the Onslaught of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Volunteers had affectionately dubbed its elegant transom window the “croissant”, a lighthearted tribute to its bowed shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she commented, admiring its tree limb-inspired details. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who commemorated the work with a couple of neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an act of opposition against a neighboring state, she clarified: “Our aim is to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the most positive way. We have no fear of living in our homeland. I had the option to depart, starting anew to Italy. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our commitment to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the most positive way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear paradoxical at a period when missile strikes frequently hit the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, aerial raids have been significantly intensified. After each strike, workers board up broken windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Amid the Bombs, a Battle for Identity

In the midst of war, a band of activists has been attempting to conserve the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was initially the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its facade is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare in the present day,” Danylenko noted. The building was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby exhibit similar art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a medieval spire on one side and a projection on the other. One beloved house in the area features two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Multiple Threats 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 rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate presents another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We are missing real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s mayor was allied with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital is reminiscent of a different time. The mayor rejects these claims, saying they originate from political rivals.

Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once protected older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been killed. The ongoing conflict meant that all citizens was facing monetary strain, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Demolition and Neglect

One egregious example of destruction is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had committed to preserve its attractive brick facade. Shortly following the 2022 invasion, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, watched 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 destroyed old properties while claiming they were doing “scientific study”, he said. A previous regime also wrought immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its central boulevard after the second world war so it could facilitate large-scale parades.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was killed in 2022 while fighting in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his vital preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous business magnates. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t foreign rockets that eliminated them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character ivy-draped house built in 1910, which functions as the headquarters of her cultural organization and doubles as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and original-style railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now not a thing will be left.”

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

Hope in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of institutional abandonment. Chudna showed a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Often we don’t win,” she admitted. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are attempting to save all this history and aesthetic value.”

In the face of war and neglect, these activists continue their work, one building at a time, believing that to preserve a city’s soul, you must first protect its walls.