Preserving Kyiv's Heritage: A City Reconstructing Itself Amidst the Onslaught of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her recently completed front door. The restoration team had given the moniker its graceful transom window the “pastry”, a whimsical nod to its bowed shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peafowl,” she stated, gazing at its twig-detailed ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who celebrated with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance against a neighboring state, she elaborated: “We are trying to live like everyday people despite the war. It’s about shaping our life in the optimal way. We have no fear of remaining in our country. I could have left, starting anew to another European nation. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our dedication to our homeland.”

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

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy may appear paradoxical at a moment when drone attacks frequently hit the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, bombing campaigns have been dramatically stepped up. After each strike, workers cover shattered windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Among the Conflict, a Fight for History

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

“These buildings represent symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce today,” Danylenko stated. The residence was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings nearby showcase comparable art nouveau characteristics, including a lack of symmetry – 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.

Dual Dangers to Legacy

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who demolish listed buildings, dishonest officials and a administrative body unconcerned or opposed to the city’s rich architectural history. The severe winter climate adds another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was friends with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov stated that the vision for the capital comes straight out of a previous decade. The mayor denies these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the public-spirited activists who once championed older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been killed. The protracted conflict meant that all citizens was facing financial problems, he added, including those in the legal system who inexplicably ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see degradation of our society and governing institutions,” he contended.

Demolition and Disregard

One notorious location of loss is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who acquired the plot had agreed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. A day after the full-scale invasion, diggers demolished it. Recently, a crane dug foundations for a new commercial complex, watched by a stern security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was not much hope for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers destroyed old properties while asserting they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A former political system also wrought immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its central boulevard after the second world war so it could facilitate official processions.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was fell in 2022 while fighting in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his vital preservation work. There were originally 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many built for the city’s successful industrialists. Only 80 of their authentic doors are still in existence, she said.

“It wasn’t external attacks that eliminated them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could last another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now not a thing 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 red door and period-correct railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect 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 locals not appreciate the past? “Regrettably they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from such cultural awareness,” he said. Outdated ways of thinking persisted, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Therapy in Preservation

Some buildings are falling apart because of bureaucratic indifference. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had collapsed; pigeons roosted among its broken windows; refuse lay under a storybook tower. “Frequently we don’t win,” she admitted. “Restoration is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this past and beauty.”

In the face of conflict and neglect, these citizens continue their work, one facade at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s soul, you must first protect its walls.