UNESCO sites in Kiev and Lviv inscribed on the World Heritage List under threat

St. Sophia Cathedral and related monastic buildings, Pečerska Lavra monastery in Kyiv and the historic center of L’viv have been inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, joining the historic center of Odessa already inscribed in January 2023.

This was decided by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, as it considers that “optimal conditions no longer exist to fully ensure the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and that it is threatened by potential danger from war.”

Faced with the risk of direct attack, these sites are also vulnerable to the shock waves caused by the bombing of the two cities. The Committee, while noting the many actions taken by the Ukrainian authorities to protect their cultural property, said that these two World Heritage sites have remained under constant threat since the start of the invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

Their inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger reminds the 195 States Parties to the Convention of their responsibility to monitor and help protect these sites. It also opens the way for additional financial and technical aid to implement new emergency measures, in line with the measures Ukraine has already taken with UNESCO.

Photo by Jorge Franganillo

UNESCO sites in Kiev and Lviv inscribed on the World Heritage List under threat

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