In Kyiv, a developer demolished the historic "Versailles" hotel from the Hetmanate Skoropadskyi period

In Kyiv, a developer demolished the historic "Versailles" hotel from the Hetmanate Skoropadskyi period

In Kyiv, there is yet another architectural loss: a developer has redeveloped the former hotel "Versailles", where in 1918 Ukrainian officials of the Hetmanate of Pavlo Skoropadskyi were held. Characteristic of present-day Kyiv, the city’s community learned of the demolition when a construction curtain fell from the structure. Behind it was a disgraceful revelation: the owner demolished the facade of the first two floors and began construction.

This was reported by Informator.

The actual loss of the historic building in the "Old Kyiv" area of the Shevchenkivskyi district, at 10 Yaroslaviv Val Street, was reported by Dmytro Perov, a capital activist and monument protector. He says that the building in question is by architect O. Schile, dated 1877. The developer completely destroyed the internal and external structures, and the original Kyiv yellow brick was replaced with gas blocks and metal piles.

"The interiors of the nearly 150-year-old estate have been completely destroyed. And all this in the buffer protection zone of the UNESCO World Heritage object — Saint Sophia Cathedral, where new construction is strictly prohibited," writes the activist.

The Register of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Ukraine states that the owner of the estate was the daughter of a gubernatorial secretary — A. Vyshnevska, and the architect responsible for the construction project was Schile. The building was erected in 1877, and a little later, in 1913, it housed the "Versailles" hotel. Despite its loud name, the building wasn’t too "pompous" — during the Hetmanate of Skoropadskyi, several rooms were occupied by the Special Department ("special services" of the newly formed Ukrainian State). And just in December of 1918, when the Hetman abdicated power, new residents moved into this hotel — the entire arrested government, with the exception of a few ministers.

Photos of the hotel in different historical epochs. Photo: Facebook Dmytro Perov

Indeed, the photo shows that the facade of the building is completely lost — it was in an eclectic style with Renaissance elements. The building was extended several times with new floors, a wing, and an "inset" from the side of the neighboring building No. 8, making it difficult for it to receive monument status. It did not have this status — except, perhaps, for the memory of significant events it witnessed at the beginning of the 20th century.