Safeguarding Kyiv's Heritage: An Urban Center Rebuilding Itself Amidst the Onslaught of War.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. The restoration team had given the moniker its graceful transom window the “crescent roll”, a lighthearted tribute to its bowed shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, admiring its twig-detailed ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who celebrated with several neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an demonstration of resistance towards a neighboring state, she clarified: “Our aim is to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. Fear does not drive us of remaining in our country. I could have left, relocating to a foreign land. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like ordinary people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the optimal way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy may appear paradoxical at a period when drone attacks frequently hit the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each assault, workers cover blown-out windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Within the Bombs, a Battle for History

Amid the bombs, a collective of activists has been striving to conserve 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 built in 1906 and was first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its facade is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare nowadays,” Danylenko stated. The mansion was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity showcase analogous art nouveau elements, including an irregular shape – with a pointed turret on one side and a projection on the other. One much-loved house in the area boasts two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Several Challenges to Heritage

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who knock down protected buildings, dishonest officials and a administrative body indifferent or resistant to the city’s vast architectural history. The severe winter climate imposes another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We lack genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was closely associated with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov added that the concept for the capital is reminiscent of a bygone era. The mayor rejects these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once defended older properties were now engaged in combat or had been killed. The ongoing conflict meant that everyone was facing economic hardship, he added, including judicial figures who inexplicably ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and governing institutions,” he argued.

Loss and Disregard

One notorious location of loss is in the historic 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 full-scale invasion, diggers razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new commercial complex, observed by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also wrought immense damage on the capital, reconstructing its primary street after the second world war so it could facilitate official processions.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was killed in 2022 while serving in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his crucial preservation work. There were initially 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous business magnates. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said.

“It was not external attacks that got rid of them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful creeper-covered house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and doubles 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 last another 20 years. If we don’t defend 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 locals not value the past? “Unfortunately they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to go to the west. But we are still not yet close from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking persisted, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Resilience in Preservation

Some buildings are collapsing because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its smashed windows; rubbish lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we are unsuccessful,” she conceded. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are trying to save all this history and beauty.”

In the face of destruction and development pressures, these volunteers continue their work, one facade at a time, arguing that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first cherish its stones.