Protecting the Capital's Heritage: A City Reconstructing Itself Amidst the Onslaught of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko beamed with pride as she displayed her newly installed front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its elegant transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its arched shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a showy bird,” she commented, appreciating its tree limb-inspired ornamentation. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who marked the occasion with two impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an expression of resistance in the face of an invading force, she clarified: “We strive to live like everyday people in spite of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. We’re not afraid of staying in Ukraine. I could have left, relocating to Italy. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.”

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

Safeguarding Kyiv’s historic buildings could be considered strange at a time when drone attacks frequently hit the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, bombing campaigns have been dramatically stepped up. After each assault, workers cover broken windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Within the Explosions, a Campaign for History

In the midst of war, a band of activists has been working to conserve the city’s decaying mansions, built in a distinctive 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 prosperous fur dealer. Its outer walls is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon nowadays,” Danylenko said. The mansion was designed by a designer of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity display similar art nouveau characteristics, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One much-loved house in the area boasts two unhappy white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Dual Challenges to Legacy

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who demolish protected buildings, unethical officials and a governing class unconcerned or opposed to the city’s rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another challenge.

“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 friends with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov added that the concept for the capital is reminiscent of a previous decade. The mayor rejects these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once protected older properties were now serving in the military or had been fallen. The lengthy conflict meant that all citizens was facing monetary strain, he added, including judicial figures who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect 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 glaring example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had agreed to preserve its attractive brick facade. A day after the onset of major hostilities, excavators tore it down. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining turquoise-painted houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while claiming they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A former political system also wrought immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most notable advocates of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was fell in 2022 while fighting in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his important preservation work. There were initially 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s prosperous entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that destroyed them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could last another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now little will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful vine-clad house built in 1910, which serves as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new vermilion portal and original-style railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

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

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents 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 civilization,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking persisted, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Resilience in Preservation

Some buildings are falling apart because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had collapsed; pigeons made their home among its shattered windows; rubbish lay under a storybook tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she conceded. “Preservation work is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this heritage and beauty.”

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