An Unfolding Cultural Catastrophe

 
Damage to buildings in Chernigiv, Ukraine (photo by Mvs.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 
Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is the largest military attack in Europe since World War II. Predictably, Russian forces have targeted Ukraine’s cities, and it is those cities that stand to bear the greatest costs of the conflict, both in terms of lives lost and the devastation wrought by the Russian onslaught. Kyiv, Irpin, Okhtyrka, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Kherson, and Mykolaiv have already sustained heavy damage. Indiscriminate bombing and shelling have razed schools, hospitals, and entire neighborhoods. More destruction and loss of lives are inevitable as the Russian military, having encountered an unexpectedly fierce defense, resorts to siege tactics. To the west, Odessa and L’viv await their turn in the crosshairs.
 
I’ve never visited Ukraine. I cannot number any Ukrainian citizens among my close friends, nor for that matter any Russians. And yet like many others, I fear for the lives of innocent Ukrainians and the combatants on both sides. Regardless of Vladimir Putin’s proclaimed justifications for invading Ukraine, the senselessness of his voluntary war of aggression is laid bare for all to see. Rarely can we view a tragedy unfold in real time with such moral clarity. Unlike the protracted conflicts and humanitarian crises in Yemen, Myanmar, or Ethiopia—which are deeply rooted in complex, poorly understood, and underreported (at least by Western media) multifactional, ethnic, and regional politics—the Russian assault prompted our immediate condemnation. We’re paying attention because superpowers are taking sides. We’re watching because what happens in Ukraine has global implications. We fear the war may dangerously escalate.
 
Wars do not often go to plan. It is a war crime to deliberately destroy heritage sites. Putin may claim respect for Ukraine’s heritage, but many culturally significant sites throughout the country are clearly at risk. Already, the Ivankiv Museum north of Kyiv, which was home to precious examples of Ukranian folk art, has been reduced to ashes. According to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, warring entities are supposed to “take all possible steps to protect cultural property,” including “monuments of architecture, art, or history, whether religious or secular.”
 
I lacked a previous appreciation for noteworthy buildings in Ukraine, but since the start of the Russian invasion, I’ve tried to learn more about them. Ukraine has more than its share of important architecture. There are distinctive strains of architectural influence dating back to medieval times, among them Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Polish-Lithuanian, and indigenous sources. The country is home to seven UNESCO world heritage sites, including St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmation Metropolitans, and L’viv’s historic center.

 

Saint-Sophia Cathedral (photo by Rbrechko, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 
According to UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention website, Saint-Sophia Cathedral, located in the historic centre of Kyiv, is one of the major monuments representing Ukraine’s architectural and monumental art of the early 11th century. The Cathedral was built with the participation of local builders and Byzantine masters during the reign of the Great Prince of Kyiv, Yaroslav the Wise, as the main Christian Church of the Kyivan Rus’ capital. The Cathedral has preserved its ancient interiors and the collection of mosaics and frescoes of the 11th century is unique for its integrity.

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (photo by Falin, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is an architectural ensemble of monastic buildings situated on a plateau overlooking the right bank of the Dnieper River. The ensemble was formed over many centuries in organic combination with the landscape. With its relics of saints buried in caves, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is one of the most important Christian pilgrimage centers in the world.

 

Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmation Metropolitans (photo by Oleksandr Malyon, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 
The Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmation Metropolitans is “a masterful synergy of architectural styles” designed by the Czech architect Josef Hlavka between 1864 and 1882. The property also includes a seminary and monastery, and is dominated by the domed, cruciform Seminary Church and its garden and park. Hlavka’s design betrays various influences from the Byzantine period onward. The dramatic fusion of architectural references expresses the 19th century cultural identity of the Orthodox Church within the Austro-Hungarian Empire during a period of religious and cultural tolerance.

 

L'viv (photo by Konstantin Brizhnichenko, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 
During the Middle Ages, the city of L’viv was a flourishing administrative, religious, and commercial center. Its medieval urban morphology is preserved virtually intact, along with many fine Baroque and later buildings. It is an outstanding example of the fusion of architectural and artistic traditions of Eastern Europe with those of Italy and Germany.
 
Other examples of Ukrainian architecture worth mentioning include the Golden Gate in Kyiv, St. Andrew’s Church in Kyiv, the Trinity Cathedral in Chrenihiv, and the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv. Due to their remote locations, the wooden tserkvas (churches) of the Carpathian region of Ukraine may be less at jeopardy but are worth noting here for the distinctiveness of their designs, which are characteristic of the symbolic references and cultural traditions of the resident communities.

 

The Golden Gate (photo by Håkan Henriksson (Narking), CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

Mariinskyi Palace (photo by Roman Naumov, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 

An example of wooden tserkvas (photo by Neovitaha777, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

 
There is no such thing as a perfect war. Armies may consider some targets off-limits, but history has too often rendered such honorable intentions impractical. The fact is innumerable cultural landmarks have been destroyed in far too many wars; tragic recent examples include the Temple of Bel (Palmyra, Syria), the Gates of Nineveh (Iraq), the Great Mosque of Aleppo (Syria), the historic district of Sana’a (Yemen), and the National Library of Bosnia.
 
As of this writing, much of Ukraine’s built cultural heritage stands at considerable danger of being erased. If it is destroyed, everyone worldwide loses. The cultural legacy of Ukraine—and of every other nation--is part of the common heritage shared by all of humanity.