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.
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