The Abandoned City of Pripyat, Ukraine

Those scared of picking up a little bit of excess radiation during their adventures may want to skip today’s entry, as it happens to be located near the site of the infamous Chernobyl disaster.  The town or Pripyat, in the Ukraine, was once a thriving population center, providing the plant at Chernobyl with workers.  Now, it lays an evacuated ruin, complete with lingering radiation levels.

A total of around 50,000 people once lived in Pripyat, not only servicing the Chernobyl nuclear plant, but keeping the city as alive as any other city might be.  Then, on April 26^th, 1986, the disaster struck.  Problems with the plant resulted in a radiation leak and forced the evacuation of the town.  All the buildings still remain, though they are empty shells.  And though radiation levels are still considered to be above average, there’s not enough to kill you outright.

Pripyat is amazing in that it truly is an entire ghost city.  Residential buildings, places of shopping, government and civic buildings, centers of entertainment, hotels, hospitals, monuments and even an amusement park still remain, albeit unused and in a state of decay.  This is along with all the infrastructure necessary to the functioning of a city of so many people.  Today, nature is beginning to make an effort to reclaim the city and an entire forest is sprouting up around and within Pripyat.  The scope of this abandoned site is unlike any other, making it a perfect place to explore, if you’re willing to take the risks.

Unfortunately, due to tight regulations, it is very much against the law to enter Pripyat on your own.  You can, however, sign up for one of many tours into the city.  Most of the tours will also bring you to the Chernobyl site to see that as well.  If it sounds like too much for you, then just check out this amazing gallery of pictures instead.

Pripyat Aerial courtesy of Elena Filatova via Wikicommons

InteriorPalace of Culture courtesy of Timm Suess via Wikicommons