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

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. Volunteers had affectionately dubbed its ornate transom window the “croissant”, a playful reference to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, admiring its branch-like features. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s pre-World War I art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who commemorated the work with a couple of lively pavement parties.

It was also an expression of resistance towards a foreign power, she clarified: “We strive to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. Fear does not drive us of living in our homeland. The possibility to emigrate existed, relocating to another European nation. Conversely, I’m here. The new entrance shows 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 best possible way.”

Safeguarding Kyiv’s architectural heritage may appear strange at a moment when drone attacks regularly target the capital, bringing death and destruction. Since the start of the current year, bombing campaigns have been notably increased. After each attack, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to save residential buildings.

Within the Conflict, a Battle for Identity

Despite the violence, a band of activists has been striving to save the city’s crumbling mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the central Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its facade is adorned 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 a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings in the vicinity showcase comparable art nouveau characteristics, including an irregular shape – with a gothic tower on one side and a turret on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two forlorn white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Multiple Threats to Legacy

But external attacks is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who raze protected buildings, dishonest officials and a governing class unconcerned or opposed to the city’s profound architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He asserted the city’s mayor was allied with many of the developers who destroy important houses. Perov further alleged that the vision for the capital comes straight out of a different time. The mayor has refuted these claims, stating they come 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 all citizens was facing monetary strain, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of dubious new-build schemes. “The longer this continues the more we see deterioration of our society and public institutions,” he contended.

Demolition and Disregard

One notorious location of loss is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had committed to preserve its picturesque brick facade. A day after the onset of major hostilities, excavators razed it to the ground. Recently, a crane excavated foundations for a new shopping and business centre, monitored 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 “archaeological research”, he said. A former political system also caused immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its central boulevard after the second world war so it could allow for large-scale parades.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable advocates of historic buildings, a cultural activist, was lost his life in 2022 while serving in a contested area. 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 erected for the city’s successful business magnates. Only 80 of their original doors survived, she said.

“It wasn’t foreign rockets that destroyed them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad house built in 1910, which functions as the headquarters of her cultural organization and operates as a film set and museum. The property has a new crimson entrance and original-style 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 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 appreciate the past? “Unfortunately they do not have education and taste. It’s all about business. We are striving as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still not yet close from such cultural awareness,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Therapy in Preservation

Some buildings are crumbling because of official neglect. Chudna showed a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons made their home among its smashed windows; refuse lay under a storybook tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she acknowledged. “This activity is therapy for us. We are striving to save all this heritage and splendour.”

In the face of war and commercial interests, these activists continue their work, one door at a time, stating that to preserve a city’s soul, you must first protect its history.