Preserving Kyiv's Architectural Legacy: A City Reconstructing Its Foundations Amidst the Onslaught of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her freshly fitted front door. Local helpers had affectionately dubbed its elegant transom window the “croissant”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a showy bird,” she remarked, admiring its tree limb-inspired ornamentation. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s turn-of-the-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who celebrated with several impromptu pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance against an invading force, she explained: “We strive to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about arranging our life in the best possible way. Fear does not drive us of living in our country. The possibility to emigrate existed, starting anew to Italy. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance symbolizes our commitment to our homeland.”

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

Protecting Kyiv’s historic buildings may appear strange at a moment when drone attacks regularly target the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the beginning of the current year, offensive operations have been significantly intensified. After each attack, workers board up shattered windows with plywood and endeavor, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Within the Conflict, a Fight for History

Despite the violence, a band of activists has been attempting to save the city’s decaying mansions, built in a playful style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the historic Shevchenkivskyi district. It was constructed in 1906 and was first the home of a wealthy fur dealer. Its outer walls is embellished with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are quite rare in the present day,” Danylenko noted. The mansion was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings close by showcase comparable art nouveau characteristics, including a lack of symmetry – with a medieval spire on one side and a small tower on the other. One popular house in the area boasts two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a demonic figure.

Multiple Challenges to Legacy

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unprincipled developers who demolish historically significant buildings, corrupt officials and a governing class unconcerned or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another difficulty.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We don’t have genuine political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s mayor was allied with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov added that the concept 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 community-oriented activists who once championed older properties were now serving in the military or had been lost. The protracted conflict meant that the entire society was facing monetary strain, he added, including judicial figures who inexplicably ruled in favour of suspect new-build schemes. “The longer this goes on the more we see deterioration of our society and state bodies,” he remarked.

Destruction and Abandonment

One notorious example of destruction is in the riverside Podil neighbourhood. The street was lined with classical 19th-century houses. A developer who obtained the plot had agreed to preserve its charming brick facade. Shortly following the onset of major hostilities, diggers tore it down. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new retail and office development, observed by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was faint chance for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while asserting they were doing “archaeological research”, he said. A 20th-century empire also inflicted immense damage on the capital, rebuilding its main thoroughfare after the second world war so it could facilitate large-scale parades.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable defenders of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was fell 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 originally 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous entrepreneurs. Only 80 of their original doors remain, she said.

“It wasn’t foreign rockets that destroyed them. It was us,” she admitted sadly. “The war could continue for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now not a thing will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a full of character ivy-draped 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 crimson entrance and original-style railings; inside is a period bathroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could last another 20 years. If we don’t defend architecture now little will be left.”

The building’s occupant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not appreciate 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. Outdated ways of thinking remained, with people hesitant to take personal responsibility for their built surroundings, he added.

Hope in Action

Some buildings are falling apart because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa hidden behind a modern hospital. Its roof had fallen; pigeons roosted among its shattered windows; refuse lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she conceded. “This activity is a coping mechanism for us. We are trying to save all this history and aesthetic value.”

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