Administration
Administration
Nelia KukovalskaNelia Kukovalska is a Director General of the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv”, Academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Architecture (2005), Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine (2008), Corresponding Member of the Academy of Civil Engineering of Ukraine (2016), Member of the Association of European Councils (2020), Senior Specialist in the field of architecture, restoration, construction, practices of monument protection and museum work. From June 2000 – Director, from September 2003 – General Director of the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv”. This leading architectural museum complex of Ukraine includes world-famous monuments: the St. Sophia Cathedral of the 11th century, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1990 together with the architectural ensemble of monastic buildings of the 18th century on its territory, the Golden Gate of the 11th century, St. Cyril’s Church of the 12th century, St. Andrew’s Church of the 18th century. Also, until April 2014, a complex of Sudak Fortress architectural monuments of the 3d-18th centuries (located in Sudak, Crimea) was an integral part of the Conservation Area (due to the annexation of Crimea by Russian Federation operational ties are lost with it). |
Nelia Kukovalska is the leader and one of the authors-developers of a number of programs for preserving the architectural heritage of the Conservation Area and the strategy of museum activities aimed at ensuring scientifically sound protection (conservation, restoration, rehabilitation and museification) of architectural monuments of the Conservation Area, what received a high positive assessment of specialists in branches of architecture and construction (Ukrainian Academy of Architecture, Ministry of Regional Development of Ukraine, Academy of Civil Engineering of Ukraine, National Union of Architects of Ukraine).
During the years of her leadership, large-scale restoration and rehabilitation works were carried out on the monuments of the Conservation Area: the Sophia Bell Tower, “Backery” exhibition halls, “Metropolitan’s House” museum, Zaborovskyi Gate of the 18th century, Golden Gate of the 11th century, Corner Tower of the Walls of the 18th century, the House of the Consistory of the 19th century were restored, museified and opened to visitors.
One of the largest research and restoration projects successfully implemented under the leadership of Nelia Kukovalska, became a complex project of restoration of a unique monument of the 18th century of national importance of St. Andrew’s Church in Kyiv, which has no analogues in modern cultural and museum life of Ukraine. Complex engineering and construction tasks have been solved, namely: anti-accident works on strengthening the hill of St. Andrew’s Church and repair and restoration works on the facades and interior of the monument, restored its magnificent Baroque paintings, sculptures, carvings, paintings of the 18th – 19th century, as well as the world’s only fully preserved wooden gilded carved iconostasis by F.-B. Rastrelli and 39 iconostasis icons.
For the first time in the history of the Conservation Area, measures are being implemented to create an inclusive space in the museums “St. Sophia Cathedral” and “St. Andrew’s Church” in order to ensure accessibility of the territory and monuments of the Conservation Area for people with disabilities.
Initiated by Nelia Kukovalska, the annual international scientific conferences on the basis of the Conservation Area museums became events in the scientific life of Ukraine: a total of 19 conferences were held with the subsequent publication of scientific collections based on the results of their work.
At the initiative of the Director General, the St. Sophia Institute was established (as a research department, 2006), which accumulated the best researchers of the national cultural heritage of Ukraine. She is the coordinator and scientific and methodological director of many scientific publishing, exhibition and restoration projects, author of more than 50 scientific and popular science publications in domestic and foreign editions, coordinator from the Conservation Area of a number of scientific and popular science publications. Thus, for the first time in the history of the museum, a collective monograph of scientists of the Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv in new research” was published, which includes the results of the latest research of its monuments. She has made 50 presentations at international scientific conferences both in Ukraine and abroad.
Exhibition activities, including international ones, intensified considerably: exhibits from the Conservation Area’s museum collection were presented at exhibitions in London, Bonn, Paris, etc., and rarities from France, Italy and Sweden were exhibited at the Conservation Area.
For five years in a row, the annual cultural and artistic events have been successfully held in Sophia Kyiv: the Prince’s Family/Regio Genus Festival and the Bouquet Kyiv Stage High Art Festival, which according to visitors have become significant events in Kyiv’s cultural and artistic life on the art grounds of the best artists of cinema, music, world-class theater, attract the attention of visitors of different ages, both Kyiv and guests of the capital.
The activity of Nelia Kukovalska for the preservation, restoration and promotion of monuments of the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv” was repeatedly awarded with certificates, gratitude and diplomas: Honorary Award of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine “For Achievements in Culture and Arts” (2005), National Commission of Ukraine for UNESCO Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2006), the Academy of Civil Engineering of Ukraine (2016). In 2015, the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella awarded Nelia Kukovalska with State Award of the Italian Republic “Order of the Star of Italy” with the title of “Cavalier” for special services in the development of friendly relations and cooperation between Italy and Ukraine (2015).