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

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. Local helpers had affectionately dubbed its graceful transom window the “croissant”, a lighthearted tribute to its bowed shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peafowl,” she stated, admiring its twig-detailed ornamentation. The renovation effort at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who commemorated the work with a couple of impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an act of defiance in the face of a neighboring state, she clarified: “Our aim is to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about arranging our life in the most positive way. We’re not afraid of remaining in Ukraine. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to another European nation. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance shows our allegiance to our homeland.”

“We are trying to live like ordinary people in spite of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way.”

Protecting Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear paradoxical at a period when drone attacks frequently hit the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been notably increased. After each attack, workers board up blown-out windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to secure residential buildings.

Among the Conflict, a Campaign for History

Despite the violence, a band of activists has been attempting to conserve the city’s decaying mansions, built in a distinctive style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was initially the home of a prosperous fur dealer. Its outer walls is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and intricate camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce nowadays,” Danylenko said. The building was designed by an architect of Austrian-German origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity showcase similar art nouveau features, including a lack of symmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a small tower on the other. One much-loved house in the area features two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a imp.

Several Dangers to Legacy

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who raze historically significant buildings, unethical officials and a political leadership apathetic or hostile to the city’s vast architectural history. The harsh winter climate presents another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s leadership was allied with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov stated that the plan for the capital is reminiscent of a bygone era. The mayor has refuted these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once championed older properties were now engaged in combat or had been fallen. The ongoing conflict meant that the entire society was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see decline of our society and state bodies,” he argued.

Loss and Disregard

One notorious example of destruction is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had pledged to preserve its attractive brick facade. Shortly following the 2022 invasion, diggers demolished it. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new shopping and business centre, observed by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining coloured houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A 20th-century empire also caused immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its primary street after the second world war so it could allow for military vehicles.

Carrying the Torch

One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was lost his life in 2022 while fighting in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his crucial preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy business magnates. Only 80 of their period doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t foreign rockets that got rid of them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now nothing will be left,” she emphasized. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad 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 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 not a thing will be left.”

The building’s resident, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not value the past? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still some distance away from civilization,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Hope in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; debris lay under a fairytale tower. “Often we don’t win,” she admitted. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are attempting to save all this history and splendour.”

In the face of conflict and commercial interests, these citizens continue their work, one door at a time, arguing that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its history.