Safeguarding Kyiv's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Itself Under the Threat of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her recently completed front door. The restoration team had playfully nicknamed its ornate transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “I think it’s more of a peacock,” she commented, admiring its twig-detailed ornamentation. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who marked the occasion with two impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an expression of opposition in the face of a neighboring state, she elaborated: “Our aim is to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of living in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, moving away to a foreign land. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance shows our allegiance to our homeland.”

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

Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage could be considered unusual at a moment when drone attacks regularly target the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been significantly intensified. After each assault, workers seal shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Amid the Explosions, a Fight for Identity

Despite the violence, a collective of activists has been working to conserve the city’s decaying 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 prosperous fur dealer. Its exterior is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and intricate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon in the present day,” Danylenko noted. The mansion was designed by a designer of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity showcase analogous art nouveau elements, including a lack of symmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a small tower on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Dual Dangers to Legacy

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who demolish historically significant buildings, dishonest officials and a political leadership unconcerned or resistant to the city’s vast architectural history. The severe winter climate presents another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s mayor was allied with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the plan for the capital harks back to a different time. The mayor denies these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once championed older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been killed. The lengthy conflict meant that all citizens was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and state bodies,” he remarked.

Destruction 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 picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the onset of major hostilities, excavators demolished it. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new commercial complex, observed by a surly 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 stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, reconstructing its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could facilitate military vehicles.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most renowned advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was killed in 2022 while engaged in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their authentic doors are still in existence, she said.

“It was not external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful vine-clad house built in 1910, which functions as the headquarters of her cultural organization and operates as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and period-correct railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

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

The building’s resident, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many citizens not appreciate the past? “Regrettably they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to move towards the west. But we are still some distance away from such cultural awareness,” he said. Previous ways of thinking lingered, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Hope in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its smashed windows; refuse lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we don’t win,” she conceded. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are striving 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, believing that to preserve a city’s identity, you must first protect its history.