Many monuments of Kyiv’s history and architecture are at risk, says Ruslan Kukharenko, chief of the Department for the Protection of Kyiv’s Cultural Heritage. Underground waters are eroding foundations and slopes in the old city. Things will get worse in the springtime, when the snow begins to melt, as the runoff will increase the underground flow. Restorers, architects, and geodesists are now fighting to salvage these shrines.
The Kyivan Cave Monastery, one of Kyiv’s principal shrines, has always been exposed to natural destruction, for it stands on what has always been slide-prone slopes, which is confirmed in historical sources. A wall near St. Michael’s Vydubychi Monastery caved in long ago, washed away by underground water streams. The same is happening on the other hills of Kyiv, including the one under the Cave Monastery. Water streams under Pechersk began to produce harmful manmade effects in the second half of the 20th century, after underground potable water tanks were installed. This is why a lot of underground streams pass under the Cave Monastery in both deep and superficial strata. This has caused a number of serious cave-ins. Seven years ago water was the cause of an accident in the Near Caves. Last year a cave — in occurred in another part the monastery - the burial chamber of the victims of Mongol Khan Batu’s 1240 invasion, which had recently been inspected. “A project report has already been completed,” Kukharenko says. “First of all, we are going to offset the consequences of these two accidents. Then we’ll be studying hydrological processes, because we want to learn how to prevent the destruction of historical monuments in the future.”
St. Sophia’s Cathedral, another major Ukrainian shrine, also needs reconstruction. “Actually, ‘reconstruction’ is the wrong word here,” Kukharenko says, “because it means ‘restoration of something lost,’ so it is better to use the word ‘restructuring.’ But St. Sophia’s will be neither reconstructed nor restructured. The St. Sophia Preserve is to undergo routine maintenance. First of all, we will replace the leaking utility networks and repair the electric substation.” This will be done at the cost of 11 million budgetary hryvnias. These funds will also be used to renovate Zborovsky Gate. The Golden Gate is also going to be fully reconstructed by the end of this year. Accident-prevention, reconstruction, and preservation work will also be done at the Consistory that overlooks Volodymyrska Street next to the southern gate.
Part of this money will be used to reinforce the slopes beneath St. Andrew’s Church, which has the same problem as the Lavra. The church is sliding down several millimeters a year, which poses a serious threat to this historical monument. To ward off grave consequences, the foundation should be reinforced.
It is also necessary to restore the recently uncovered 12th-century narthex (a room for people who were not allowed to attend Mass) under St. Cyril’s Church. Reconstruction and archeological excavations are an inconvenience for believers, tourists, and this church’s congregation. “Prayer services will go on, we’ll just create optimal surroundings,” the chief of the Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage says. “You cannot light candles there because of soot, and there are some other minor restrictions. Now the municipal authorities are funding the reconstruction of the Refectory Church just opposite. The roof and interior decorations have already been replaced, and new windows will be installed shortly, so believers will soon be able to come to this beautiful church and satisfy their spiritual needs.”
As for Richard’s Castle, another prominent monument of old Kyiv, the municipal government has handed it over to a Ukrainian-born Canadian businessman. There are plans to open a posh hotel there. Still, very little has been done in the past 10 years. “Even the exterior that was reconstructed eight years ago already looks shabby,” Kukharenko says, “and what we need is a legislative act that would oblige private owners to look after historical monuments.”
