Protecting Kyiv's Heritage: An Urban Center Reconstructing Itself Under the Threat of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her freshly fitted front door. Local helpers had affectionately dubbed its ornate transom window the “croissant”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peafowl,” she stated, appreciating its branch-like ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who commemorated the work with two impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an act of defiance towards a foreign power, she clarified: “Our aim is to live like ordinary people despite the war. It’s about arranging our life in the optimal way. Fear does not drive us of remaining in our country. I had the option to depart, starting anew to another European nation. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our dedication to our homeland.”

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

Protecting Kyiv’s built legacy seems paradoxical at a period when drone attacks regularly target the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, bombing campaigns have been significantly intensified. After each strike, workers seal blown-out windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Bombs, a Fight for Identity

In the midst of war, a group of activists has been working to preserve the city’s deteriorating 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 exterior is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and intricate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon nowadays,” Danylenko said. The building was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase analogous art nouveau elements, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a projection on the other. One beloved house in the area features two unhappy white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Several Challenges to Legacy

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who demolish protected buildings, corrupt officials and a political leadership apathetic or opposed to the city’s rich architectural history. The severe winter climate adds another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack 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 bulldoze important houses. Perov added that the vision for the capital comes straight out of a different time. The mayor has refuted these claims, saying they originate from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once defended older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The ongoing conflict meant that all citizens was facing economic hardship, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he contended.

Demolition and Abandonment

One notorious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the 2022 invasion, 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 blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while claiming they were doing “archaeological research”, he said. A previous regime also caused immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could facilitate official processions.

Carrying the Torch

One of Kyiv’s most renowned champions of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was killed in 2022 while serving in a contested area. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his vital preservation work. There were initially 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said.

“It wasn’t aerial bombardments that eliminated them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now nothing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a characterful vine-clad house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and doubles as a film set and museum. The property has a new crimson entrance and original-style railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on 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 “quite special and a little bit cold”. Why do many locals not value the past? “Regrettably 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 some distance away from civilization,” he said. Previous ways of thinking persisted, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Resilience in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of official neglect. Chudna showed a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons nested among its broken windows; debris lay under a whimsical tower. “Many times we don’t win,” she acknowledged. “Restoration is a form of healing for us. We are trying to save all this history and aesthetic value.”

In the face of conflict and development pressures, these activists continue their work, one building at a time, arguing that to save a city’s soul, you must first cherish its history.