Preserving the Capital's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. Volunteers had given the moniker its ornate transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, gazing at its tree limb-inspired ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was made possible by residents, who celebrated with several lively pavement parties.

It was also an demonstration of resistance towards a neighboring state, she clarified: “We are trying to live like ordinary people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the optimal way. We’re not afraid of living in our homeland. The possibility to emigrate existed, relocating to a foreign land. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance represents our commitment to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about organizing our life in the best possible way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s historic buildings may appear strange at a period when drone attacks regularly target the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, offensive operations have been dramatically stepped up. After each attack, workers cover blown-out windows with plywood and try, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Explosions, a Battle for Beauty

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

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare today,” Danylenko said. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby exhibit similar art nouveau elements, including asymmetry – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One much-loved house in the area features two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Dual Threats to Legacy

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who knock down protected buildings, unethical officials and a political leadership unconcerned or resistant to the city’s profound architectural history. The bitter winter climate adds another challenge.

“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 leadership was closely associated with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov added that the concept for the capital comes straight out of a bygone era. The mayor denies these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once championed older properties were now engaged in combat or had been lost. The protracted conflict meant that everyone was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see decline of our society and public institutions,” he remarked.

Demolition and Abandonment

One egregious 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 charming brick facade. Shortly following the onset of major hostilities, heavy machinery razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a surly security guard.

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

Carrying the Torch

One of Kyiv’s most renowned advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while engaged in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his important preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 stone mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy industrialists. Only 80 of their authentic doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that destroyed them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could last another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique creeper-covered house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new red door and original-style railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left.”

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “very cool and a little bit cold”. Why do many citizens not value the past? “Unfortunately they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to move towards the west. But we are still a way off from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Resilience in Restoration

Some buildings are falling apart because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons nested among its broken windows; rubbish lay under a whimsical tower. “Frequently we are unsuccessful,” she acknowledged. “Preservation work is a coping mechanism for us. We are attempting to save all this past and splendour.”

In the face of war and commercial interests, these citizens continue their work, one facade at a time, arguing that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first save its stones.