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

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its graceful transom window the “pastry”, a lighthearted tribute to its arched shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she stated, gazing at 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 marked the occasion with several lively pavement parties.

It was also an demonstration of resistance in the face of an invading force, she clarified: “We are trying to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the optimal way. Fear does not drive us of living in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to a foreign land. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the most positive way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy could be considered paradoxical at a time when drone attacks regularly target the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, aerial raids have been notably increased. After each strike, workers cover broken windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Among the Conflict, a Campaign for Beauty

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

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce today,” Danylenko noted. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings close by display analogous art nouveau elements, including asymmetry – with a medieval spire on one side and a projection on the other. One popular house in the area features two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Dual Threats to Heritage

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who knock down historically significant buildings, corrupt officials and a political leadership apathetic or resistant to the city’s vast architectural history. The harsh winter climate imposes another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where wealth dictates. We don’t have substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He asserted the city’s leadership was allied with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital comes straight out of a different time. The mayor rejects 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 lost. The protracted conflict meant that everyone was facing financial problems, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he contended.

Loss and Abandonment

One egregious location of loss is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had agreed to preserve its attractive brick facade. A day after the onset of major hostilities, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new retail and office development, monitored by a surly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers demolished old properties while claiming they were doing “archaeological research”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, redesigning its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could facilitate large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most prominent champions of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was killed in 2022 while serving in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his crucial preservation work. There were originally 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their period doors are still in existence, she said.

“It was not aerial bombardments that got rid of them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now little will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful ivy-draped 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 vermilion portal and authentic railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could continue for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now little 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? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to go to the west. But we are still some distance away from civilization,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Hope in Action

Some buildings are falling apart because of institutional abandonment. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had collapsed; pigeons nested among its broken windows; rubbish lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she admitted. “This activity is a form of healing for us. We are attempting to save all this heritage and beauty.”

In the face of conflict and development pressures, these activists continue their work, one building at a time, stating that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first save its history.