What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Chernobyl? A dilapidated city of the former Soviet Union which witnessed the worst nuclear disaster in the world’s history.
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On 26th April, 1986, Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded causing huge fire.
What followed was a never seen before damage to life and property. Soon after the explosion, orders were given to evacuate Pripyat, the town nearest to the Reactor No. 4 at Chernobyl. Founded in the 1970s as a home for power-plant employees and their families, Pripyat lies abandoned even after 33 years of the accident.
While it is still a ghost town, the only thing that has changed is that it is attracting a large number of tourists. The main tourist attraction is the exclusion zone that was imposed in the area spanning over 30 km around the damaged reactor and later expanded to cover more affected areas.
In 2011, the Ukrainian government opened the Exclusion Zone to tourists over the age of 18.
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Серёга, а почему “Странный”? __________________ Потому что, в Чернобыльской Зоне чувствую себя комфортно и уютно. И поэтому спокойно могу там один гулять по ночам, несмотря на множество диких животных. ______ Потому что, вместо стабильной постоянной работы выбираю нихрена не стабильный, спонтанный отбитый ритм жизни. ______ Потому что, предпочту поехать в одиночку автостопом к черту на куличики, вместо покупки билета на автобус, или поезд. Просто потому, что так интереснее. ______ Потому что, потратил 3,5 года на учёбу в колледже, и 3 года заочно в универе на специальность, на которую мне плевать. ______ Потому что, однажды, без всякой подготовки, с дюжиной бутербродов, и школьным портфелем – доехал с Киева до Одессы на велосипеде за 2 дня и 2 ночи, без сна. ______ Потому что, зимой купаюсь намного больше, нежели летом. И купальный сезон у меня с осени до весни. ______ Потому что, сегодня весь грязный, промокший, небритый, невыспанный и смертельно уставший – еду на автобусе от Чернобыльской Зоны домой, а завтра со светлой улыбкой, модной стрижкой, и в рубашке еду на важное мероприятие. ______ Потому что, сегодня оккуратно ем в ресторане, а завтра насыпаю гречку с котелка в чашку, роняя её на пол, где-то в заброшенном селе. ______ Потому что, поехал в феврале автостопом в Одессу, просто чтобы покупаться в море. ______ Потому что, сегодня я провожу фотосессию для девушки, а завтра помогаю бабушке на огороде землю вскапывать, да дрова колоть. ______ Потому что, в Чернобыльской Зоне, и самой Припяти бываю чаще и больше, чем в любом другом месте. ______ Потому что вопреки всему и вся дерьму я толкаю свой движ, и стремлюсь жить так, как я хочу. ______ Вообще, каждый человек по-своему странный, уникальный, и интересный. Будьте странными!) И спасибо за 10к!!!) _____________________________ #sunset_pics #sunset_madness #chernobyl #urbex #chernobylzone #exclusionzone #abandonedplaces #rooftop #ontheroofs #pripyat #urbanexploration #extreme #landscape #awesomepic #crazyman #meditation #relax #awesome_shots #awesomeness #amazing_shots #s1mple_shots #amazing_tourist #photooftheday #climbing #climbing #stalker #dangerous #чернобыль #удивительноерядом #припять
A post shared by Сергей Странный ☢️ (@seregastrange) on Apr 21, 2019 at 10:12am PDT
You need to obtain permits to visit this exclusion zone, which can be obtained from several registered tour operators . Applications should be sent in at least 10 days prior to taking the tour.
Despite being one of the most radioactive places on Earth, some 72,000 people visited the region, last year.
Tourists are curious to know how life in Chernobyl was back then.
This is an image from a kindergarten in Chernobyl.
Images from Pripyat Middle School. This is how the abandoned libraries look now.
The fairgrounds.
An abandoned house.
The power plant that remains.
Some more pictures from the city that still lies in ruins.
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An abandoned kindergarten may sound terrifying (and look equally as haunting), but its story is less gory than it seems. The day after nuclear reactor 4 exploded, the town of Pripyat, which hosted all of Chernobyl’s workers and their families, was evacuated. 40,000-50,000 people were told to take their documents and any money they had, as well as clothing for 3 days, and within 3 hours, the entire city became a ghost town. At the time, none of the residents knew what happened or why they had been evacuated, just that there had been an accident at the factory. The residents were put up in hotels and summer camps around Kiev until a new city was built outside of the radioactive zone. Many of the original residents still live in this new city, and take the train to Chernobyl every day for work – but unlike their old jobs which required running the generators for energy, their new jobs require carefully dismantling the plant and its continuously melting uranium core. And, in fact, some residents have chosen to move back into Pripyat despite its radioactivity – I even met two men fishing from Pripyat River who were planning to eat their fresh catch. 🎣☢️ . . . #chernobyl #ghosttown #nuclear #radioactive #history #creepy #horrorgram #travel #wanderlust #tlpicks #digitalnomad #travelawesome #mustseeplaces #bestvacations #travelgram #travelphotography #pripyat #ukraine #howisthisreallife
A post shared by Daniel Sherman (@howisthisreallife) on May 29, 2019 at 2:49am PDT
There are several areas that are marked as radioactive or forbidden entry zones. You should not attempt to enter these zones if you visit the city.
The environment with relation to radioactivity is highly dynamic, therefore, visitors face strict security, body scans and signs warning them to avoid touching or sitting on anything. 
