Mariupol City Day 2025: History and War Impact on Landmarks

On September 29, Mariupol celebrates City Day. According to one version, the city appeared in the 16th century as guard posts along the Kalmius River, and officially received city status in 1778. Over the centuries, Mariupol became a cultural and architectural hub of Pryazovia, and with the start of the full-scale war – a symbol of resilience and protest.

In this material we look at seven of the city’s historical landmarks: what they were like before the war, who stood behind their design, and how the occupation changed their fate and appearance.

“We chose a path of reevaluation for ourselves. There are now many discussions around this – we are researching the founding date and the history of our lands, our region. For us, the history, the events that occurred, are important. We are examining which settlements first appeared on the territory of Mariupol, on the Nadazovia territory. Of course, a very important part of history is Domakha, the Cossacks”

Pre-war landmarks: the city’s architectural lineage

According to data from the Mariupol City Council as of February 24, 2022, Mariupol had 206 historical buildings, among which 6 objects were architectural monuments, 102 – monuments of history and culture, 4 – monuments of monumental art, 24 – monumental mosaic panels and 33 archaeological sites. In the city center remained one of the largest in Ukraine collections of mosaic monumentalism. Nearby were unique archaeological landmarks – kurgans and Neolithic burial mounds. With the start of the war, many objects sustained damage or were destroyed.

All these landmarks formed not only the face of the city, but also its historical memory. Below are the main objects that lost part or all of their appearance due to hostilities and occupation.

Major landmarks that have lost their appearance

The Continental Hotel was once one of the city’s most advanced and luxurious places, where later various institutions housed – a concert hall and the first electrified printing house. In the Soviet period the building served as the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, then as a trade union center, and during the Nazi occupation – as a headquarters. The postwar period brought the Azovstal plant’s Palace of Culture into its walls; later the building fell into disrepair and was transferred to the city only in 2010. As of today, the building’s appearance has changed again due to damage inflicted during the war.

The Youth Palace of Culture was the city’s cultural life center: here platforms for concerts, performances and exhibitions existed, there were mysterious underground passages, which were planned to be used to create modern art. During the occupation the building was damaged and served as shelter for dozens of people in 2022.

“There were interesting underground passages in this building. As the city had already developed, and this was no longer a hotel but the Youth Palace of Culture, they created the youth theatre studio ‘Theatre Mania’. Young people organized the basements – they staged performances. They wanted to create there a center of contemporary art where artists would come for various creative events. This is how we dreamed of it. Unfortunately, the palace building also suffered. In 2022 it served as shelter for many hundreds of people”

The Mausoleum of Abram Tregubov – one of the examples of late 19th–early 20th-century classicism. As part of the city ensemble it played a significant role, later transferred to the Ministry of Health and used as the city polyclinic and the blood transfusion station. After gaining independence, the building underwent a long restoration, and the paintings and interiors were restored. After 2022 the facades and interiors sustained damage from shelling.

Spired houses, located at the intersection of Mira Avenue with Kuindzhi Street and Metallurgists’ Avenue, were erected in 1953 and were considered symbols of Stalinist neoclassicism. These are the last large Stalinist structures in the city, forming the ceremonial entrance to Theater Square. After the full-scale invasion they sustained significant damage and were partially rebuilt by the occupiers.

“The occupiers ostentatiously carried out restoration in the building, placed their own Soviet star there. There is at least one for sure. I don’t know exactly what will be there”

The Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theater of Mariupol is one of the leaders of the city’s cultural landscape. The building rose between 1956–1960 in the style of Soviet monumental classicism; after its destruction in 2022 it remains as a monument to the city’s great theatrical life. According to various sources, hundreds of people perished under the rubble, and estimates of the extent of the destruction vary.

“This building was connected to all our festivals and celebrations. People gathered there for Independence Day and New Year. Unfortunately, today this place is associated with one of the city’s most tragic histories. The occupation authorities rebuilt it, concealing the consequences of their actions”

The House with the Clock at the intersection of Mira Avenue and Metallurgists’ Avenue was famed for its clock tower and the artists’ studios on the upper floors. In 2021 a reconstruction was carried out, installing a large three-meter clock with chimes and backlighting. During the occupation the building was destroyed and rebuilt by the occupying forces.

“Under the roof of such a tower, where, according to legends, there was an artists’ workshop, after restoration with grant funds we wanted to create a space for our contemporary artists. We even drafted a project. Unfortunately, this building also suffered greatly, was demolished, and now the occupation authorities have rebuilt it”

The Nilsen Water Tower – about 33 meters tall, an architectural landmark and the city’s former water supply source. It underwent reconstruction and received the status of a cultural emblem even before 2016; by the late 2010s it again became an important space. During the occupation the tower sustained damage, but preservation efforts continue, and its role in the city’s landscape remains symbolic.

Although many of the city’s faces have disappeared or changed, Mariupol’s historical memory lives on through online educational tours, 3D views, and new initiatives to preserve architectural heritage. They help preserve the city’s heritage and give hope for its revival after victory.