Safeguarding Kyiv's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Its Foundations in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Local helpers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “croissant”, a whimsical nod to its arched shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a showy bird,” she remarked, admiring its branch-like details. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who marked the occasion with a couple of lively pavement parties.

It was also an act of opposition in the face of a foreign power, she elaborated: “We are trying to live like ordinary people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. We’re not afraid of staying in our country. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to another European nation. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our commitment to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s architectural heritage could be considered unusual at a time when drone attacks routinely fall the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been notably increased. After each strike, workers board up blown-out windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Within the Conflict, a Battle for History

Amid the bombs, a band of activists has been striving to save the city’s decaying mansions, built in a playful style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was first the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its facade is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon in the present day,” Danylenko said. The residence was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase comparable art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Multiple Threats to History

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who demolish listed buildings, dishonest officials and a political leadership indifferent or opposed to the city’s profound architectural history. The bitter winter climate imposes another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where wealth dictates. We are missing substantive 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 bulldoze important houses. Perov stated that the concept for the capital comes straight out of a different time. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals.

Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once defended older properties were now engaged in combat or had been killed. The protracted conflict meant that all citizens was facing monetary strain, he added, including judicial figures who inexplicably ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see degradation of our society and public institutions,” he argued.

Destruction and Neglect

One notorious demolition site is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the onset of major hostilities, excavators tore it down. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new retail and office development, watched by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also inflicted immense damage on the capital, redesigning its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could facilitate military vehicles.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most renowned champions of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was lost his life in 2022 while serving 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 built for the city’s prosperous industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that got rid of them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now not a thing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character vine-clad 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 crimson entrance and original-style railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not appreciate the past? “Regrettably they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to go to the west. But we are still a way off from civilization,” he said. Previous ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Therapy in Preservation

Some buildings are collapsing because of institutional abandonment. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons made their home among its broken windows; debris lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we don’t win,” she admitted. “Preservation work is a form of healing for us. We are attempting to save all this history and splendour.”

In the face of destruction and commercial interests, these volunteers continue their work, one building at a time, arguing that to preserve a city’s identity, you must first protect its history.