The Saint Sophia Cathedral and monastic buildings in Kiev are part of the heritage of humanity in danger, as is the historic center of Lviv (West), due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Located in the historic center of Kiev, the Saint Sophia Cathedral is according to UNESCO “one of the main monuments representing the architecture and monumental art of the early 11th century” in Ukraine. The historic center of Lviv, a city founded in the Middle Ages, was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996.
At the beginning of September, UNESCO announced its intention to include them in the list of world heritage in danger, explaining that they were “threatened with destruction”. It is now done, after a vote by the World Heritage Committee in Riyadh which therefore followed the recommendations of UN experts.
The Committee considers that “the optimal conditions are no longer met” to guarantee their protection, because of the conflict. “Faced with the risk of direct attacks, these sites are also vulnerable to the shock waves produced by the bombings on the two cities,” he said. This registration also opens the right to additional financial and technical assistance to implement new emergency measures on site, added the organization.
The sites of kyiv and Lviv join the historic center of Odessa on the list, listed in January 2023, several buildings of which were affected at the end of July. The Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa was damaged by a Russian bombing in July, which UNESCO condemned.
(With AFP)