In the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, has long impacted the city of Kharkiv, but Russia's bombing this week struck the historic 13-story Derzhprom building, also known as the State Industry House, a symbol of architectural ingenuity that included overhead walkways and individual interlinked towers.  This iconic Soviet-era "skyscraper", located on the southwest side of Svobody Square, is not only a significant part of Ukrainian history but also represents the first modern skyscraper to be built in the city at the time when it was the capital of the Ukrainian SSR, one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991.

Derzhprom: A Glimpse into Soviet Architectural Heritage

Built between 1925 and 1928, with an opening timed to match the 11th anniversary of the October Revolution, the Derzhprom building is a hallmark of Constructivist architecture of that period.  Designed with a massive concrete facade, its stark lines gave the building an imposing silhouette —one that seemed to embrace minimalism, function, and mass production, all traits which reflected the Soviet ideals of efficiency, progress, and growth of the era.  

When completed, the architectural icon was once the tallest structure in the Soviet Union and Europe. 

UNESCO Status and International Protection

UNESCO has long recognised the historical significance of Derzhprom as being the largest constructivist building in the world and of significant importance for humanity.  The building was placed under its tentative UNESCO World Heritage list on April 27, 2017 in light of paragraph 32 of the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention.

The non-military use declaration was signed by the Ministry of National Defense of Ukraine on 31 August 2023 stating that the cultural property “Derzhprom (the State Industry Building)” (Ukraine) would not be used for military purposes or to shield military or as a military site.  

Following this declaration, on September 7, 2023 UNESCO's committee included 20 of Ukraine's cultural heritage sites in the International List of Cultural Property UNder Enhanced Protection, among them, Kharkiv's Derzhprom.  This designation was a milestone in international recognition for Ukraine’s Soviet-era heritage, an highlighted Derzhprom not only as a building of local or national value, but also as a site of “outstanding universal value” reflecting UNESCO's commitment to safeguarding rare sites that contribute to shared human culture.