Between Heritage and Monstrosity: How Kyiv Preserves (and Loses) Its Unique Character

Hello, friends and strangers. It feels like I haven’t written anything in an eternity. Not because I had nothing to say. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Time and again, I’ve wanted to write about what hurts me so deeply. About how our President Zelenskyy, so beloved by Europeans, has turned my country into a monarchy. About the appalling corruption within his administration. About the things we’ve stayed silent on for years out of self-censorship. We refrained from criticising the authorities while the war is ongoing, but now it has become all too obvious: Zelenskyy and his "Servants of the People" (that’s what they named their party — what a farce) pose a greater threat to Ukraine’s existence than any criticism or protest ever could. And that is deeply, deeply tragic.

Following the recent reshuffle of the Cabinet of Ministers — carried out solely to dismiss one person, the Defence Minister — protests broke out in Kyiv and other big cities. I attended them too. We demanded the reinstatement of the government’s most effective minister: a minister whose only fault was introducing transparency into procurement at the Ministry of Defence, the ministry with the largest budget in the country. Naturally, this did not sit well with Zelenskyy’s inner circle, who conveniently happen to be his old friends. This inner circle has business interests, the smooth running of which is secured by newly passed legislation. Under Zelenskyy, parliament has completely lost its independence.

So I am angry, and I join the protests. Yet the president ignores them entirely, even though hundreds and thousand of people have been gathering every single day for over a month, just steps away from the Presidential Administration building.

I am angry because I — and all of us — have sacrificed far too much for our country. Tomorrow, incidentally, is Independence Day — the very independence we are fighting for.

But our president needs neither a victory in this war nor its end altogether, because the ongoing situation grants him unchecked power and limitless opportunities for self-enrichment. If you’re tempted to say that corruption exists everywhere, I would agree with you. But existential wars aren’t fought everywhere. It’s simply devastating.

But ... I’ve let myself get carried away with this opening thoughts. My apologies — I just couldn’t hold it in.

Because that isn’t what inspired me to break my silence. What actually inspired me was today’s walking tour of Kyiv, dedicated to Ukrainian Modernism.

The walk was supposed to last three hours. It sounded like it might be long and tiring, but we ended up walking for a full four hours, and it was thoroughly fascinating and engaging. Sad at times, yet still beautiful and inspiring. I absolutely love architecture, even if I’m not particularly knowledgeable about different styles.

Take this unique building, for instance, where every entrance is decorated with glazed ceramic tiles. They were produced at a local factory nearby. The same tiles also adorn a small green space near the metro station entrance.

However, this isn’t Modernism just yet — simply an interesting find.

In the mid-1970s, the metro line in Podil, a historic district of Kyiv, was constructed using the cut-and-cover method. As a result, many old buildings were demolished. Fortunately, this area was not redeveloped with hideous, mass-produced Soviet structures built from standard templates.

Historic Podil is the city’s lower town. Owing to high groundwater levels, the metro line runs quite shallow here. Add to that the heavy tram and vehicular traffic, and building high-rises posed a significant risk (though nowadays, with laws barely being enforced in the country, developers blithely ignore such dangers).

A group of talented architects managed to convince the local authorities to construct four residential blocks based on a bespoke design. Because of the traditional motifs on their facades, these blocks are often referred to as Postmodernist, though there is arguably far more Modernism here than "Post". Named after one of their creators, they are known as the Shalatsky Blocks. Yury Shalatsky and his colleagues adapted these modern structures to the local architectural character so that they absorbed noise and fitted seamlessly into the existing street grid. Construction lasted from 1984 to 1993.

The style is defined by asymmetry, somewhat austere and minimalist facade details, whimsical lines, and flexible layouts. All the buildings were constructed from brick, which was painted to complement the colour scheme of the neighbouring, older properties. Everything was unified under a single cohesive concept and vision — precisely what our city is lacking so much today.

Notice the entrances, beautifully framed by brick colonnades.

---

The gazebo in the inner courtyard was built in the very same style as the houses. Some time ago, local municipal workers tried to tear it down, and they partly succeeded. Fortunately, thanks to local community activists, it was restored.

Even the utility structure in the courtyard was built in keeping with the overarching style.

And here is another thoroughly intriguing utility structure that was originally intended to double as a public space. Or rather, what it has been turned into thanks to short-sighted officials — and not without a helping hand from the police (yes, really!).

Everything is completely overgrown with bushes. Underfoot lie dry branches, empty bottles, and sweet wrappers. The tiered steps where people could once sit and listen to a lecture or performance have now been doused in industrial fluid. We were genuinely shocked when we saw what they originally looked like:

Isn't it amazing?

The last photo shows the view from the opposite side. Today, it’s just a wall-to-wall monstrosity of tasteless, characterless modern development.

Here’s another "before and after" photo:

Not the worst case though.

The next photo shows a nursery school. It looks exactly as originally intended: plenty of open space, yet well sheltered from both sun and rain.

The next building is a particular eyesore for anyone passing by. Who on earth thought it was a good idea to transform a spacious café into a chaotic clutter of elements completely alien to this city?

Today, these buildings are often terribly disfigured by the residents themselves, who haphazardly alter the facades with illegal extensions, glassed-in balconies, and makeshift reconfigurations.

---

The next building was constructed in 1906, or thereabouts. That’s hard to believe given the extensive renovation, but the central staircase glazing gives away its true age.

Around this building, Ukrainian architects added structures that seem to embrace it, creating a charmingly secluded inner courtyard.

---

Another unusual-looking block of residental buildings.

---

Arches, multi-tiered features, strict symmetry or playful asymmetry — everywhere there is so much light, air, and space. Do you like it?

This building looks as though it’s been transported straight from a seaside town…

I can only imagine how much better, airier, and more open our city would be if it weren’t for these hideous "improvements".

I genuinely don’t believe it’s because the residents lack a sense of style, taste, or money. In that respect, they are no different from urbanites anywhere else in the world. The real problem, as I see it, is the utter lack of state regulation — and the fact that existing laws are flouted more and more blatantly with each passing year, with zero accountability. Kyiv is growing uglier, a reality everyone acknowledges. Yet somehow, people still end up voting for a fictional TV character (a nod to Zelenskyy, who starred as a righteous "man-of-the-people" president in a sitcom named identically to the political party created right before the election).

To wrap up this virtual tour, I’d like to show you two final, remarkable examples.

The first is a building originally constructed as a Baptist house of prayer. It is utterly breathtaking! We were even allowed to step inside.

---

The second is the famous Zhytnii Market in Podil, with St Andrew’s Church looming above it on the hill in the Upper Town.

This market is facing the threat of extinction. Officials, bribed by developers — or being developers themselves — allow the building to fall into decay, using that as a pretext to demolish it. Before long, a concrete monstrosity rises in its place, towering over historical architecture in complete defiance of all urban planning regulations.

So far, however, the local community has successfully defended this market. Even some of the original utility structures have survived.

The "spiky" motifs on the facade are a symbolic depiction of horse-chestnut leaves — the official emblem of Kyiv.

The utility structure survived:

Inside, the market resembles a spaceship. There isn’t a single partition wall or supporting pillar in sight:

Kyiv is a truly remarkable city. It manages to captivate you even through the chaotic extensions and grey patches of neglect. Yet this beauty demands our care and protection. As long as local residents and activists continue to stand up for spaces like the Zhytnii Market or secluded, gazebo-adorned courtyards, our city still stands a chance of keeping its unique identity. Let us cherish the details, notice the harmony around us, and refuse to let the very soul of Kyiv slip away.

^{All old photos are taken from our guide's Instagram account @ukrainianmodernism}

^{Translation Help - Gemini}