🔗 Share this article Safeguarding the Capital's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Itself Amidst the Onslaught of War. Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. The restoration team had playfully nicknamed its ornate transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “I think it’s more of a peacock,” she commented, appreciating its branch-like features. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who celebrated with a couple of lively pavement parties. It was also an act of opposition towards a foreign power, she clarified: “We are trying to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the optimal way. We’re not afraid of staying in Ukraine. I had the option to depart, moving away to Italy. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.” “Our aim is to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the best possible way.” Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage could be considered unusual at a time when aerial assaults regularly target the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers seal shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings. Amid the Conflict, a Battle for Identity Amid the bombs, a group of activists has been working to preserve the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a playful style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was originally the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its facade is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers. “These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko stated. The mansion was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase comparable art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure. Multiple Dangers to Heritage But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish historically significant buildings, dishonest officials and a governing class unconcerned or opposed to the city’s vast architectural history. The severe winter climate imposes another burden. “Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We don’t have substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s mayor was friends with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov stated that the plan for the capital harks back to a bygone era. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals. Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once protected older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been killed. The lengthy conflict meant that the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see deterioration of our society and public institutions,” he remarked. Demolition and Neglect One notorious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, excavators razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored 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 destroyed old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, redesigning its central boulevard after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades. Carrying the Torch One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was fell in 2022 while fighting in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his important preservation work. There were originally 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said. “It was not foreign rockets that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now little will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful ivy-draped 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 crimson entrance and period-correct railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors. “The war could last 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 “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not value the past? “Unfortunately they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to move towards the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added. Therapy in Preservation Some buildings are falling apart because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its broken windows; debris lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she admitted. “This activity is therapy for us. We are trying to save all this heritage and splendour.” In the face of conflict and neglect, these volunteers continue their work, one door at a time, believing that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first save its walls.
Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. The restoration team had playfully nicknamed its ornate transom window the “crescent roll”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “I think it’s more of a peacock,” she commented, appreciating its branch-like features. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who celebrated with a couple of lively pavement parties. It was also an act of opposition towards a foreign power, she clarified: “We are trying to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the optimal way. We’re not afraid of staying in Ukraine. I had the option to depart, moving away to Italy. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.” “Our aim is to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the best possible way.” Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage could be considered unusual at a time when aerial assaults regularly target the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers seal shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings. Amid the Conflict, a Battle for Identity Amid the bombs, a group of activists has been working to preserve the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a playful style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was originally the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its facade is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers. “These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko stated. The mansion was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase comparable art nouveau features, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure. Multiple Dangers to Heritage But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish historically significant buildings, dishonest officials and a governing class unconcerned or opposed to the city’s vast architectural history. The severe winter climate imposes another burden. “Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We don’t have substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s mayor was friends with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov stated that the plan for the capital harks back to a bygone era. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals. Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once protected older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been killed. The lengthy conflict meant that the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who mysteriously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see deterioration of our society and public institutions,” he remarked. Demolition and Neglect One notorious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, excavators razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored 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 destroyed old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, redesigning its central boulevard after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades. Carrying the Torch One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was fell in 2022 while fighting in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his important preservation work. There were originally 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said. “It was not foreign rockets that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now little will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful ivy-draped 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 crimson entrance and period-correct railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors. “The war could last 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 “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not value the past? “Unfortunately they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to move towards the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added. Therapy in Preservation Some buildings are falling apart because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its broken windows; debris lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she admitted. “This activity is therapy for us. We are trying to save all this heritage and splendour.” In the face of conflict and neglect, these volunteers continue their work, one door at a time, believing that to rebuild a city’s heart, you must first save its walls.