Preserving the Capital's Heritage: An Urban Center Reconstructing Itself in the Shadow of War.

Lesia Danylenko showed off with satisfaction her freshly fitted front door. Volunteers had playfully nicknamed its ornate transom window the “croissant”, a whimsical nod to its arched shape. “In my opinion it’s more of a peacock,” she remarked, admiring its branch-like features. The restoration project at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was funded through residents, who commemorated the work with several neighbourhood pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance in the face of a neighboring state, she clarified: “We are trying to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about organizing our life in the most positive way. We’re not afraid of remaining in Ukraine. I had the option to depart, moving away to a foreign land. Instead, I’m here. The new entrance shows our dedication to our homeland.”

“We are trying to live like normal people regardless of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the best possible way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s architectural heritage seems unusual at a moment when aerial assaults frequently hit the capital, causing death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, aerial raids have been notably increased. After each strike, workers seal broken windows with plywood and try, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Amid the Explosions, a Campaign for Identity

Amid the bombs, a group of activists has been attempting to preserve the city’s deteriorating mansions, built in a whimsical 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 prosperous fur dealer. Its exterior is decorated with horse chestnut leaves and delicate camomile flowers.

“They are symbols of Kyiv. These properties are increasingly scarce in the present day,” Danylenko said. The building was designed by a designer of Central European origin. Several other buildings close by showcase similar art nouveau features, including asymmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Dual Dangers to Legacy

But armed conflict is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face profit-driven developers who knock down listed buildings, unethical officials and a governing class unconcerned or opposed to the city’s profound architectural history. The harsh winter climate adds another burden.

“Kyiv is a city where capital prevails. We are missing real political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He claimed the city’s mayor was closely associated with many of the developers who flatten important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital harks back to a bygone era. The mayor denies these claims, attributing them from political rivals.

Perov said many of the civically minded activists who once protected older properties were now engaged in combat or had been lost. The ongoing conflict meant that the entire society was facing economic hardship, he added, including judicial figures who curiously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and state bodies,” he argued.

Destruction and Neglect

One notorious demolition site is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was home to classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had committed to preserve its charming brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, excavators demolished it. 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 not much hope for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers levelled old properties while claiming they were doing “scientific study”, he said. A former political system also caused immense damage on the capital, reconstructing its central boulevard after the second world war so it could accommodate large-scale parades.

Upholding the Legacy

One of Kyiv’s most prominent advocates of historic buildings, a tour guide and blogger, was fell in 2022 while serving in the frontline. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were carrying on his crucial preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 brick-built mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s prosperous business magnates. Only 80 of their period doors survived, she said.

“It was not foreign rockets that eliminated them. It was us,” she lamented. “The war could go on for another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left,” she added. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad 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 vermilion portal and original-style railings; inside is a vintage sanitary facility and antique mirrors.

“The war could go on for 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 citizens not value the past? “Regrettably they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are attempting as a country to go to the west. But we are still some distance away from that standard,” he said. Previous ways of thinking remained, with people reluctant to take personal responsibility for their architectural setting, he added.

Therapy in Action

Some buildings are falling apart because of official neglect. Chudna indicated a once-magical villa concealed behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons nested among its smashed windows; debris lay under a fairytale tower. “Many times we lose the battle,” she conceded. “Restoration is a coping mechanism for us. We are striving to save all this heritage and aesthetic value.”

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