Located midway between Sumy and Kharkiv, the town of Trostyanets was under Russian occupation for over a month, since the first days of the invasion. 

Founded back in 1660, Trostyanets started its dynamic development at the end of the 19th century, when sugar magnate Leopold Koenig settled there. While his business empire was growing, Koenig invested in infrastructure, education and quality of life for locals. His great-granddaughter lives in Germany and regularly donates to the town’s hospital and library.

Leopold Koenig left a rich architectural heritage, carefully taken care of for many decades, but now devastated by Russian troops.

On March 1, the walls and windows of the Round Yard were damaged by shelling. On March 17, the main building of the Koenig estate, which hosted local museums, was damaged and looted. On March 27, before leaving town, Russian soldiers set fire to the house of the estate manager which was home to the Forestry Research Institute and a Forestry Museum.

When Trostyanets was liberated, architects and urbanists visited the town to start planning its recovery.

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