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28places to visit
in Chernobyl

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plantin Chernobyl, Ukraine

#7of 28 places to visitin Chernobyl

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14 things to doin Chernobyl

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The Chernobyl disaster was the worst nuclear catastrophe in history. Now the deserted station is surrounded by Zone of Exclusion 30 kilometres radius.
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Chernobyl
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was called the symbol of Soviet Unions technological
achievement. The electricity, generated here, was used by more then two millions of Ukrainians.

The control room of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Photo: The control room of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, ©

The fourth reactor was working for only 3 years, when it suddenly exploded at April, 26 in 1986. The explosion threw 8 tons of radioactive fuel into the atmosphere.

Chernobyl nuclear power plant shortly after the disaster

Chernobyl nuclear power plant shortly after the disaster
Photo: Chernobyl nuclear power plant shortly after the disaster, ©

Here are some facts, that will help you to imagine the scale of the Chernobyl NPP disaster:
• The amount of radioactive substances thrown into the atmosphere was 400 times greater than the ejection from the Hiroshima bombing
• The disaster was classified by level 7 - the highest one of the nuclear accidents scale. And it is the only accident in history with such a grade.
• The explosion shifted the reactor plate 2 thousands tons weight.

The firefighters from the NPP and from Pripyat (the nearest city), extinguished a fire, didn't know the real reasons of it, so they weren't adequately protected from radiation. Most of them died in next few monthes. They were buried in zink coffins and their graves were concreted to avoid the spread of radiation from their corpses.

Chernobyl NPP disaster liquidators

Chernobyl NPP disaster liquidatorsPhoto: Chernobyl NPP disaster liquidators

In total, 240,000 people participated in the liquidation of the disaster consequences in the first two years and 600,000 in the subsequent.

The city Pripyat, built for the NPP emloyees and their families, is located in two kilometres from the station. But the evacuation started onle on April, 28, two days after the explosion. The government continued concealing what really happened and officially reported, that the citizens will be able to return to their houses in three days.
The citizens weren't allowed to bring their things, cars or pets. Later that property was burned and the pets were shot.

The inhabitants of 30 kilometres radius areas were also evacuated, some villages were eradicated. The district was named Zone of Exclusion.

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in present days
Photo: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in present days, © James Hyndman

The Chernobyl nuclear power station was finally shut down only in 2000. Pripyat became the ghost-city, and now is slowly destroing. Some countries refused using the nuclear energy after the Chernobyl catastrophe.

Attention! Visiting this place can harm your health.

Things to do here 2

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#1Feed giant catfish in ChernobylFeed giant catfishДарья Слепакова

Chernobyl cooling pond is the habitat of one's of the most giant catfishes. Do not miss the opportunity to feed these creatures!

FREE
#11Have lunch at the Chernobyl Canteen 19 in ChernobylHave lunch at the Chernobyl Canteen 19oddviser

Fans of the Soviet authentic atmosphere can visit authentic Chernobyl Canteen 19 to have a realy tasty healthy meal.

UAH 70
Know more things to do?Guest

Share your ideas of what to do in Chernobyl with other travellers — together we'll make our travellings more interesting!

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant on the map

Tours & excursions 3

#4Cruise on the ship to Chernobyl and PripyatCruise on the ship to Chernobyl and Pripyat

Get a sea of thrills from a boat trip to the lost world of a dead city.

UAH 335000/tour
#2One-day private tour (Chernobyl + Pripyat) from KievOne-day private tour (Chernobyl + Pripyat) from Kiev

One day in the Exclusion Zone and you will learn everything about this desolate tragical place.

UAH 1794+/person
#3Urgent one-day tour (Chernobyl + Pripyat) from KievUrgent one-day tour (Chernobyl + Pripyat) from Kiev

The most horrifying post apocalyptic picture of Chernobyl and Pripyat in one day

UAH 3999+/person

Reviews

Guest05 October 2024

More places to visit in Chernobyl

#23KGB building in ChernobylKGB building

Shortly before the Chernobyl disaster, here, in Pripyat, located in a couple kilometers from the power plant, the construction of the KGB building began.

#27Morgue of MSCh-126 in ChernobylMorgue of MSCh-126

Morgue is located near by the Hospital MSCh-126. This is one of the most creepy and frightening places in the ghost town of Pripyat.

#4Cooling Pond Channel in ChernobylCooling Pond Channel

An artificial reservoir built to cool the reactors of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is the habitat of the giant catfish.

#8Polissya Hotel in ChernobylPolissya Hotel

The abandoned Polissya Hotel in the center of a Pripyat ghost town, where in April 1986 the liquidators of the accident were based.

#10Cemetery of barges and abandoned ships in ChernobylCemetery of barges and abandoned ships

Chernobyl backwater - a place where, before the accident, old ships were collected for disposal or repair, turned into a cemetery of radioactive barges and ships.

#14NPP observation deck in ChernobylNPP observation deck

You can see the sarcophagus, which is covering the fourth reactor, and the other parts of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant right from here.

#6USSR 16-story building in ChernobylUSSR 16-story building

One of the few sixteen-story buildings built in Pripyat. if you rise up here, you can see the city as on the palm of your hand.

#18Lenin monument in ChernobylLenin monument

The monument in honour of the first Union of Soviet Socialist Republics leader is still located in the deserted dismal Chernobyl city.

#19Hospital MSCh-126 in ChernobylHospital MSCh-126

An eerie place, where all your body shivers - the hospital, which was the first to receive affected from the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

#26The Red Forrest in ChernobylThe Red Forrest

Trees in the forest became frighteningly red and their radioactive glow could be seen in the night, because of the radioactive substances ejection into the atmosphere.

#20Prometheus cinema in ChernobylPrometheus cinema

Until April 1986, Pripyat Prometheus cinema was the most popular place for meetings and leisure activities by watching films and visiting inner canteen.

#9Azure Swimming Pool in ChernobylAzure Swimming Pool

Before the catastrophe, Azure Swimming Pool was a very beautiful place. Here the townspeople and visitors of the city came to swim and relax.