Safeguarding the Capital's Heritage: An Urban Center Reconstructing Itself Under the Threat of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her freshly fitted front door. Volunteers had playfully nicknamed its ornate transom window the “pastry”, a lighthearted tribute to its arched shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a showy bird,” she remarked, appreciating its twig-detailed features. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who commemorated the work with several impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an expression of opposition towards an invading force, she explained: “We are trying to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We’re not afraid of living in our homeland. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to a foreign land. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance represents our allegiance to our homeland.”

“Our aim is to live like normal people in spite of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s built legacy may appear unusual at a period when missile strikes routinely fall the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, bombing campaigns have been dramatically stepped up. After each strike, workers seal shattered windows with plywood and try, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Within the Conflict, a Battle 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 central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was initially the home of a affluent 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 noted. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings close by display analogous art nouveau characteristics, including an irregular shape – with a medieval spire on one side and a projection on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Dual Challenges to History

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who demolish listed buildings, dishonest officials and a political leadership unconcerned or hostile to the city’s profound architectural history. The bitter winter climate imposes another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We are missing substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He asserted the city’s mayor was closely associated with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov further alleged that the plan 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 protected older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been fallen. The ongoing conflict meant that the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including judicial figures who inexplicably ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he argued.

Demolition and Disregard

One notorious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had committed to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the onset of major hostilities, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new commercial complex, observed by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A 20th-century empire also wrought immense damage on the capital, redesigning its primary street after the second world war so it could facilitate official processions.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most notable advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was fell in 2022 while engaged in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were persevering in his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous industrialists. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t foreign rockets that destroyed them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful ivy-draped house built in 1910, which functions as the headquarters of her cultural organization and doubles as a film set and museum. The property has a new vermilion portal and period-correct railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not cherish the past? “Unfortunately they are without education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to move towards the west. But we are still not yet close from that standard,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking remained, with people unwilling to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are crumbling because of institutional abandonment. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons made their home among its broken windows; debris lay under a fairytale tower. “Frequently we don’t win,” she admitted. “Restoration is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this history and splendour.”

In the face of destruction and commercial interests, these volunteers continue their work, one door at a time, stating that to save a city’s heart, you must first save its stones.