Trostyanets: a city from a postcard

The city in the Sumy region, 30 kilometers from the border with Russia, was under occupation for only a month, but received wounds that will take years to heal. At the beginning of April, when the first delegations from ministries and foreign foundations arrived in the liberated city, optimists thought that Trostyanets would be revived by consolidated efforts before Independence Day. Well, at most until the end of the year. Gradually, reports from Trostyanets disappeared from the news feed, replaced by shocking content from other hotspots: Irpin, Bucha, Kharkiv, Izyum, Kherson... What is happening today with the damaged architectural monuments and places of strength in the liberated Trostyanets?

Survive until spring

Trostyanets model 2021 is a clean, cozy and tourist-friendly town on the way from Sumy to Poltava and Kharkiv, surrounded by forests, with ponds and parks. On the eve of the large-scale invasion, Trostyanets, with a population of 20, where advanced ecological and urban trends were successfully implemented, had the reputation of the fastest growing small town in Ukraine. Three cores — the historical and administrative center, the industrial zone and the railway station with a square — "wash" the private sector with plots of land for subsidiary farming. According to local historians, Trostyanets was founded in 1660 by Cossacks from the right bank of Ukraine, from Vinnytsia or, possibly, from Volyn, where there are also similar toponyms, including the Trostyanka River. Trostyanets received city status recently — in 1940, and its planning clearly reveals its historical rural DNA.

Trostyanets-2022 is a zone of communal and economic disaster and at the same time a territory of hope. The mayor of Trostianets, Yury Bova, still cannot name the exact amount of material losses - it is impossible to add up direct and indirect losses

"The destroyed buildings alone are a loss of 100 million dollars. The calculation is the most approximate, if you focus on the shooting from drones, which was carried out back in the spring. This is without taking into account the destruction of communications, looted equipment, burned fleets of vehicles and utility vehicles, plowed roads with tanks. It was not possible to work in any administrative premises without repairs - all office equipment was stolen, furniture was broken, windows were broken, doors were broken. Any object that the occupiers entered turned into ruins, says Yuriy Bova.

You can't envy the leading cities, especially now. "They made it until winter!", "Why is it so late?", "Where is the promised roof repair?", "What about the road repair?", "When will the water supply finally be fixed?"... The residents of Trostianets are venting their steam and anger on social networks, and on the street.

Winter is just around the corner, and only now are the construction workers plugging holes in the five-story building shattered by shells. The collapsed slabs of the fifth floor have yet to be dismantled. It is already obvious that they will not have time to carry out major repairs before winter. But if repairmen manage to fix the water supply and sewage system and insert windows, most residents will be able to winter relatively painlessly. Another five-story building will winter empty. 9 months have passed, but it is still unclear whether to disassemble the upper floors or not? Experts plunged into the world of measurements, beacons, screeds, which only they understand, and have not yet drawn conclusions.

Restored workplaces for administrations, pension fund and school - almost all. "Two schools have not yet been built - there are simply no funds for them yet. One was badly damaged, there was a direct hit, the roof was destroyed. We just covered it with a tarpaulin and it will stand until spring, and we'll see there. Another one is to completely restore the heating and windows there, a lot of work. Now we are engaged in the restoration of those buildings that can be quickly repaired more or less. It is about restoring those buildings that are damaged by less than 60%. We won't talk about the rest until spring," says Bova.

They managed to repair the hospital before the cold weather. It was a socially significant building — a kind of symbol of Trostianets' ambitious plans for development. It has been rebuilt and equipped with equipment for the past three years with the aim of developing the sports and tourism industries. The last chord was the thermal modernization of the building at the expense of the Northern Environmental Financial Corporation (Nefco). The renovation was completed in 2021. In March 2022, the medical offices were looted, and the building was shot with artillery.

For the mayor, it was one of the most painful losses: "We invested money from the local budget in it for three years in a row... Yes, it was possible for roads, water supply, many places. But they set themselves the following priority: to make a modern hospital. And all this work went to waste! To look at what you did for three years, and now you have to do it all over again, of course, it hurts!".

It remains to apply cosmetics and paint over the patches on the facade. Offices and the maternity ward are open. It is important. For most of the townspeople, the hospital is a marker of the prosperity of Trostianets. Like "chocolatka" - a chocolate factory, the largest enterprise of the city. Her biscuit shop was almost completely destroyed. The historical industrial zone near the former distillery and the rolling mill was literally plowed over with shells.

Residents feared that the investor would shut down production in the war-torn border town as risky

The head of the city is now extremely careful in wording. Generous announcements from officials and politicians in the euphoria immediately after de-occupation and inflated expectations caused people additional psychological trauma. And neither the officials nor the builders had the experience of rapid post-war recovery. Funds, too: this year, the local budget underpaid taxes by 50 million hryvnias. Proximity to the border with Russia and large-scale destruction forced many entrepreneurs to decide on business relocation. What holds the rest?

A city within a city

Locals call the center of Trostianets simply "city". Its heart is the Round Yard, an architectural monument of national importance, the oldest brick building in the Slobozhan region, built in 1749 by the Nadarzhynsky family of local landowners. The equestrian arena, which resembles a fortress with four towers, was used as a place for circus and theatrical performances, as well as for mass celebrations and fairs.

"The yard is called round, but it is actually oval in shape. Like an eye. By the way, in the Church of the Annunciation, which was also built in 1750, an old icon with the image of a triangle with an inscribed eye was found. It is possible that the owners were close to the Freemasons, he suggests Igor Medvedev, senior researcher of the museum and exhibition center "Trostyanetsky". — According to one version, the Round Yard is not only an arena and an eternal place, but also a kind of observatory where a person can realize his place in the universe, a place where he can feel his connection with the cosmos. You asked about places of strength - yes, the Round Yard is definitely like that."

In recent years, when Trostyanets took a course to develop a tourist cluster, the Round Yard was used as the main venue for all-Ukrainian events: tournaments of the historical reconstruction festival "Old Fortress" and concerts of the music festival "East-rock" were held here. Many Ukrainian stars performed in the Round Yard, noting the unique atmosphere of the place.

The walls of the Round Yard are marked by bullets and debris. "The Russians knocked out the gate with a tank, placed their equipment inside, the walls of the building have wounds from shelling, but the most important thing is that the complex survived," - Ihor Poshivailo, general director of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity and coordinator of the humanitarian initiative "Heritage Rescue Headquarters", whose experts conducted the survey and examination of damaged cultural objects in Trostyanka, assesses the state of the monument as satisfactory. Located next to the manor of the sugar planter and landowner Leopold Koenig, which, together with the Round Yard, makes up the museum and exhibition complex "Trostyanetsky", also survived: it lost its windows and ancient doors, but it survived.

In 1885, Koenig, who founded several plants and factories in Trostyanka, invited the St. Petersburg architect Viktor Shreter to modernize the old house of the Nadarzhinskys in order to use the estate as a place for family summer vacations. Schroeter combined two buildings of the 1864th century, turning them into a two-story palace building in the style of classicism with baroque elements. On the first floor of the palace there is a picture gallery, on the second floor there is an office-museum of Koenig and a room-museum of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who, while still a student at the conservatory, spent the summer of XNUMX in Trostyanka. And in the outbuildings there is a museum of chocolate and coffee, a museum of local history.

"In particular, the facade, porch, doors, roof, exhibition halls of the Trostyanets Regional Museum of Local History were damaged by artillery fire. Thanks to the efforts of the team, the museum collection has been preserved, although the occupiers managed here for some time, looting office equipment and souvenirs from the museum treasury. Currently, works are being carried out on the restoration of the entrance door, and the restoration of damaged windows and walls is planned. Partial roof repair is required. Project and estimate documentation has been developed for all these works, and there is hope that this architectural monument will be quickly restored," Poshivaylo hopes.

The chocolate museum appeared in Trostyanka as a symbiosis of creative and commercial thinking. Chocolate sculptures were cast at the local factory owned by American investors Mondelēz International, where products of the Korona and Milka brands are produced, and the exhibition itself tells, in particular, the history of the local confectionery industry. After the occupation, they managed to put glass in the broken windows, restore order, and in August the entrance was reopened. Museum officials have not yet unpacked the collection of the local history museum from the second wing most damaged by the explosion. Exhibits need a special microclimate, but how to ensure it under the conditions of the wartime winter?

Organized tours of the Round Yard are not being held this year, but you can visit the attraction on an individual basis. According to Igor Medvedev, all delegations from ministries and international foundations, of course, also begin with his review. By the way, the tournament of the "Old Fortress" festival took place in June, albeit in a chamber format. The reenactors collected funds to help the Armed Forces.

The heaviest loss of the cultural and architectural plan in Trostyanka is the shot and burned palace of estate manager Leopold Koenig in the Neskuchne Arboretum. The elegant Art Nouveau building of 1911 was used as a forest research station of the Institute of Forestry and Agromelioration.

"They fired directly at this house from a tank. They thought that our partisans were hiding there. 15 volumes of scientific literature, of which 5 volumes were pre-revolutionary editions, burned to the ground," Igor Medvedev shares his pain

Not only unique archives were lost, but also all valuable furniture and furnishings. "Elements of decoration, fireplaces-stoves made of foreign irrigated tiles... Several parents of local residents, who witnessed the shelling of this building by Russian tanks and a powerful fire, were hiding in the basement of the premises," he clarifies Ihor Poshivaylo. — According to the estimates of the Ministry of Culture, about 70 million hryvnias are needed for the complete restoration of this monument. I know that international organizations and donors, such as UNESCO, the ALIPH Foundation, the Prince Claus Foundation, are ready to allocate funds for stabilization and emergency work, we negotiated with them, providing data from our expeditions, in particular, the results of loss and risk assessments and project estimate documentation from the museum and the city council".

German singer Malik Harris, a participant in Eurovision 2022, also voiced the story of this destroyed landmark as part of the "Postcards from Ukraine" project. He recalled how Ukrainian and European history are closely intertwined: the Trostyanets landowner Leopold Koenig was also the owner of a villa on Koblenzer Strasse in Bonn, the current residence of the German president.

There are only a few days left until winter, but the conservation of the burnt building has not been carried out. Mayor of Trostianets Yuriy Bova explains why: "The burnt forest research station is an architectural monument of state importance. In order to restore it, you must first prepare all the documentation, and the work must be carried out by restorers, not simple builders. All we could do was clean up the trash. We don't even have the right to do conservation - it's a state object."

A similar story with a small but architecturally and historically valuable mansion - the former store of the merchant F. Kuril from 1908, which received critical damage. But the area near the Smorodine railway station was the most affected. Russian soldiers turned the station square into a chaotic pile of soil, concrete and iron, and all the buildings around the perimeter were destroyed. In the low-rise buildings of the background building of the early-mid XNUMXth century, there were various shops and service enterprises, in fact it was a local shopping center.

The modernist landmark of the Smorodine station

The station building itself, a modernist structure with an original sharp-angled roof, which residents call the "hospitable gate", has survived. The Smorodyne station even made it onto a postage stamp in the series dedicated to the work of railway workers, as a symbol of the indomitable Sumy region.

The deputy head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, promised back in May that all the necessary preparatory procedures for the restoration of the station and the station square have already been carried out. The case is based on the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers — and construction work will begin.

In June, at the Re:Create UA competition, the conceptual project for the modernization of the station and the square from the TEN dsgn studio won the third prize. The architects proposed to cover the facade with a veil of vertical wooden rails, to arrange the rhythm of the window openings, and to decorate the entrance to the square with terraces with greenery. Within a month, the City Hall of Trostianets published a different vision: the building in minimalistic white, and dozens of trees in the square, providing a thick shadow. The "skeleton" of the building itself is unique and must be preserved, everyone admits that. Both concepts have their supporters and critics in social networks, but so far they have remained only projects.

"Ukrzaliznytsia initially undertook the reconstruction of the station complex. We were assured that funding will be allocated by August, they will try to organize the square and help the entrepreneurs who lost their business there. Ministers, deputies came... But it's already November, and nothing has been done. There is no final project, no allocation of funds, says Yuriy Bova. — In the spring, few people could set their priorities correctly. A heating plant or a square? The heating plant is probably more important. It was simply necessary to honestly tell people, entrepreneurs, who had been waiting for help since April. Only one store opened, which the owners restored themselves. And we didn't do anything, because we don't understand in which direction to move. There would be a "restore it yourself" command - and somehow we would manage. They would plant roses, put curbs, do as it was. But I want something new and the best! In this regard, we trust architects. There will be a final project, we will hold a public discussion, and next year we will begin implementation."

It is not yet known what the square will look like. 8 hectares give space for imagination. Officially, the station square was called "40th Army Square", now the citizens were invited to express proposals for a new name

Architects, of course, consider the station and the square as a single complex, but in the legal field everything is more complicated: part of the land belongs to Ukrzaliznytsia, part to the city, part to private entrepreneurs under their buildings. A normal situation for a city that developed without any concept or plan until 2005.

Development of yesterday and tomorrow

The development strategy of Trostianets was formulated only in 2006, and the general plan - in 2014-2015. They envisaged not only the improvement of conditions for business — both large and small — but also the transformation of the city into not only a tourist but also a sports center of Slobozhanshchyna.

Three ambitious facilities — a modern stadium, a multi-sports complex with a swimming pool and the NESKUCHNE biathlon complex — were designed to turn the territory of the community into an analogue of Bukovel for the whole of northeastern Ukraine and allow international-level competitions to be held here. The terrain is quite suitable, there are reserve territories, and designers from the Czech Republic were supposed to help with the creation of modern biathlon tracks. The implementation of these plans would allow to increase the tourist flow from 20 to 200 thousand people per year and to attract about 600 million hryvnias of investments. Since any health or sports projects require an appropriate medical base, the modernization of the city hospital was precisely what was needed. Of course, first of all, the hospital was made comfortable for the residents of the city.

The war should not cancel the plans, and now the specialists of the Austrian company CES clean energy solutions, a leader in the field of sustainable and ecological solutions, together with the consulting company iC Ukraine, are conducting an analysis of local strategic developments in order to draw up a clear and perspective master plan for Trostianets. About ten international experts from various disciplines also joined the work: architecture, water supply and drainage, waste, urban planning, etc.

"We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the master plan that the city presented to us. After the first review, we identified key principles that were missing from the plan or that were not adequately addressed. Their absence is not related to martial law: it is, for example, about the impact of climate change in the long term, — explains Andreas Helbl, partner of CES clean energy solutions, general director of iC Ukraine. — The city's strategy consists in development in several directions. First of all, in the strengthening of regional industry, the development of education and educational programs in the city, the development of the tourism industry, as well as in increasing the population density within the city and improving the comfort of living."

As part of the preparation for work on the master plan, technical consultants studied the context and interviewed residents to find out how they would like to see their city, said Andreas Helbl: "It was about creating sports centers, shopping and entertainment centers, swimming pools, skate parks, infrastructure for people with disabilities, nice and cozy cafes, as well as waste recycling and sorting stations. In addition, it was mentioned the need to create co-working spaces and establish colleges with modern specialties."

The consultants noted that it is necessary to create new convenient pedestrian routes to connect the business and historical center. Along Blagovishchenska Street, which connects the station and the center, there are vacant plots of land or unused buildings that open up opportunities for high-quality improvement and new construction. "Creation of coffee shops and other cozy places for pleasant pastime can be the correction of such an omission as the lack of pedestrian routes for citizens to walk. The main thing is that they can be easily reached on foot," says Andreas.

Replanning of the street and road network is one of the most effective ways to improve the comfort of life in settlements that have developed chaotically or are more oriented towards transport.

The cane, where there is no super-dense construction, is now very plastic and ready for change

So far, the developers have completed only the first stage of work on the master plan and have already received feedback from the city authorities. Ahead is a discussion and a search for a common denominator.

According to Andreas, work on the master plan will take about two months: "After the concept is approved, we can go further — we can work on the infrastructure (energy supply, water treatment, waste, transport and mobility). Everything must be in accordance with the criteria of sustainability and gender equality. The city will be able to compartmentalize our version of the plan and approach financial institutions for support for further funding and a more detailed analysis looking at specific sectors and specific ideas within them."

A place and time to step forward

After talking with the local residents, you understand that the month of imprisonment and life under the gun had a heavy impact on everyone. Previously open people now avoid frankness with strangers, with journalists in particular. The shock experienced when their own suddenly turns out to be someone else's, the feeling of complete defenselessness made them distrustful and suspicious.

Valentina, a local entrepreneur, shares her disappointment: "In the spring, they promised maximum help. Then they said - no, issue grants individually. It is not easy to issue a grant for business recovery without consultations and help, there are so many conditions! And the constant thought is that we will rebuild now, but what if we invade again? You walk down the street and every action or inaction is viewed with suspicion. Yes, something has started to be repaired here, this is a good sign. But the house stands charred right in the center, well, it's scary! Suddenly they do nothing because they are waiting for a repetition? It is good that they did not affect our parks. There is a place to escape from these heavy thoughts. There, everything is almost as it was, you are recharged with energy."

Trostyanets was really lucky with the parks. Neskuchne Arboretum is impressive in its size — 254 hectares, which is more than the famous Sofiivka in Uman. However, unlike Sofiivka or Oleksandria, there is practically no garden and landscape architecture in Neskuchny. The only example of the XNUMXth century is the Grote Nymph, an atmospheric "garden whim" hidden in the depths.

"If the Round Yard was a venue for mass performances, then the Nymph Grotto was used as a chamber theater where ballets and productions on ancient themes were shown. There is information about this grotto in the 1913 magazine "Capital and Manor". It was there in the summer of 1864 that the young Tchaikovsky was inspired by nature and wrote his first symphonic piece," explains Igor Medvedev.

In addition to the giant arboretum and the chambered city park near the Round Yard, Trostyanka has another relatively new place for outdoor recreation. "It's called "Bear Meadow" - it's the place where I spent my childhood, where I caught my first pike... In Soviet times, there was an ordinary primitive beach with one mushroom. Then - a completely abandoned place. And in recent years, they made a modern, beautiful recreation area: sculptures, sports fields, gazebos. My last name is also very controversial now, Medvedev, and here in Trostyanka Vedmezha meadow is my place," the scientist jokes.

"In the spring, they said that a memorial to our defenders would be erected in the central park, but so far there has been no discussion," says Valentina. - Of course, it is necessary, but while people are still passive, it is difficult to discuss something new. Let's restore at least the level as it was."

The desire of local residents to return everything to the way it was as quickly as possible, so that all reminders of the battles that have been experienced disappear from the city streets, is a natural reaction to trauma, Ihor Poshivaylo believes.

"Here, careful discussions are needed in a wide circle of representatives of local communities and authorities, preservationists, restorers, architects, etc. After all, the issue is quite controversial - local residents seek to get rid of the deep trauma from the destruction and aggression as soon as possible, but some elements of the space and this memory must be preserved for current and future generations as an "anti-cotton" reminder, so as to "never again". For example, in Warsaw, elements of destroyed facades are preserved in buildings restored after the Second World War, and in other cities that experienced the pain of destruction, such a memory exists. It is only necessary to find a suitable form," the general director of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity is confident.

Recently, local residents planted a new forest on the communal lands around Trostyanets. Hand-planted thousands of pencil saplings will turn into tall pines, oaks and firs only after tens of years. Residents of the border region believe that they have time ahead of them.

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This publication was created with the financial support of the Stabilization Fund for Culture and Education 2022 by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany and the Goethe-Institut