Unique Ukrainian Architecture in Kyiv and Lviv is Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List of Threatened Places

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, during its session held in Saudi Arabia, added St. Sophia's Cathedral, its adjacent monastery structures, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and the Ensemble of the Historic Center of Lviv to the list of endangered sites.

This information was reported on the official website of the United Nations in Ukraine.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has determined that "two heritage sites of outstanding universal value have remained under constant threat since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022."

According to the committee members, "there are no longer optimal conditions for the full guarantee of protection of the outstanding universal value of these sites, and they are potentially threatened" due to regular attacks by Russian forces on Ukrainian cities. As a result of these attacks, these cultural landmarks could be destroyed or damaged by debris or shockwaves.

At the same time, the committee acknowledged the efforts and measures taken by the Ukrainian government to protect cultural heritage sites during the full-scale war.

The inclusion of Ukrainian sites in the UNESCO World Heritage List aims to remind the 195 member countries of their duty to monitor and support the protection of these sites. Additionally, it opens the door for additional funding and technical assistance in case "emergency measures" are needed.

The St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv was founded in the 11th century and became a center for the spread of Orthodox Christianity in the region after it was adopted by Prince Volodymyr the Great and Kyivan Rus in 988.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra served as a center of spiritual and intellectual influence during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1990.

The Ukrainian city of Lviv, founded in the late Middle Ages by Daniel of Galicia, became widely known as an administrative, religious, commercial, and cultural center from the 13th to the 20th centuries. With its long history, the city has accumulated and preserved architectural and cultural landmarks of various ethnic communities that lived within its territory. Thus, in 1998, Lviv's historic center was also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine initiated by Russia, hundreds of unique cultural and historical landmarks, including monuments, palaces, museums, theaters, churches, and temples, have already been damaged. 

It is worth noting that The Gaze publication has reported on cultural heritage sites that have been completely lost or significantly damaged as a result of Russian terrorist missile strikes.