Safeguarding the Capital's Heritage: An Urban Center Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of War.

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her newly installed front door. Local helpers had playfully nicknamed its elegant transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its bowed shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peafowl,” she stated, gazing at its twig-detailed ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who celebrated with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an act of resistance towards a foreign power, she clarified: “We are trying to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the most positive way. We’re not afraid of remaining in our homeland. The possibility to emigrate existed, moving away to a foreign land. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our dedication to our homeland.”

“We are trying to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear unusual at a moment when aerial assaults routinely fall the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each strike, workers cover broken windows with plywood and try, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Amid the Bombs, a Fight for History

In the midst of war, a group of activists has been striving to save the city’s decaying mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was erected in 1906 and was originally the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its exterior is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko noted. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity exhibit comparable art nouveau elements, including a lack of symmetry – with a medieval spire 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 devil.

Dual Dangers to Heritage

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who knock down historically significant buildings, unethical officials and a political leadership unconcerned or opposed to the city’s rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We don’t have 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 further alleged that the concept for the capital is reminiscent of a previous decade. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once defended older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The ongoing conflict meant that all citizens was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and governing institutions,” he contended.

Demolition and Abandonment

One glaring example of destruction is in the waterside Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had agreed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. A day after the onset of major hostilities, heavy machinery tore it down. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while claiming they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could allow for large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most prominent champions of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a contested area. 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 erected for the city’s prosperous industrialists. Only 80 of their period doors are still in existence, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that destroyed them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique creeper-covered 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 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? “Unfortunately they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from civilization,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Therapy in Restoration

Some buildings are falling apart 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; refuse lay under a fairytale tower. “Often we lose the battle,” she admitted. “Preservation work is a coping mechanism for us. We are striving to save all this past and beauty.”

In the face of conflict and commercial interests, these activists continue their work, one facade at a time, believing that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its walls.