Report - Chernobyl, Zone & Pripyat Sept 2010 - Part 3 - Central Pripyat

[Ric]

Part 3 - Central Pripyat

So, Pripyat, the mecca of Urbex some people might say.

these are my images from my first day in Pripyat of which i stuck to the center of the town, my next post will have all the other areas which might not have been seen before!

My experience of Pripyat was like no other in my life so far, the amount of sheer land which has been laid to waste and the amount of buildings which are unusable as well as the silence and desolate make for 2 days exploration of Pripyat a complete joy for me.

A little info on the city, although you probably all know the score!:

Prypiat (Ukrainian: При́п'ять, Pryp'yat’; Russian: При́пять, Pripyat’), is an abandoned city in the zone of alienation in northern Ukraine, in the Kiev Oblast (province), near the border with Belarus[2]. The city has a special status within the Kiev Oblast subordinating directly to it, although is located in the Ivankiv Raion (district). The city also is being supervised by the specially assigned ministry as part of the Zone of alienation. Prypiat was founded in 1970 to house the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant workers, officially proclaimed a city in 1979, and was abandoned in 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster. It was the ninth nuclear-city, "атомоград" (atomograd) in Russian, literally "atom city". Its population had been around 50,000 before the accident. Annual growth of population was estimated at around 1,500 including 800 new-born citizens and over 500 newcomers from all the corners of the Soviet Union. It was planned that the Prypiat's population should rise up to 78,000 in the nearest future. Prypiat had a railroad link to Kiev Yazov station as well as a navigable river nearby.

Entering Pripyat before the military checkpoint

Polesye Hotel - As featured in The game Call of duty Modern warfare

Looking down on the main square of the town (the sniper point on Call of duty modern warfare)

A lowly tree growing on the top floor of the hotel

These paintings are allover the center of Pripyat

The famous Pripyat amusement park & the iconic Ferris wheel

The electric dodgems, the amusement park was opened the day before the Reactor exploded, i doubt many people would have used any of this equipment before been evacuated

Another iconic picture of the Propaganda room, paintings of all the leaders of Russia and the Ukraine, i'm surprised this room hasn't been looted

Pripyat cultural center

Inside the Cultural center, again featured in the game Modern Warfare, the only disappointment i had with Pripyat is the amount of things which have been damaged or stolen by metal collectors or scrap collectors, it would have been nice to visit quite a few years ago before it all went missing

Artwork inside the cultural center

A sea of books inside the cultural center

One of many picture boards around the city

Next up, Part 4 - Outer Pripyat