The Pripyat amusement park is an

abandoned Abandon, abandoned, or abandonment may refer to: Common uses * Abandonment (emotional), a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, or discarded * Abandonment (legal), a legal term regarding property ** Chi ...

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

located in

Pripyat Pripyat ( ; russian: При́пять), also known as Prypiat ( uk, При́пʼять, , ), is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, located near the border with Belarus. Named after the nearby river, Pripyat, it was founded on 4 February 19 ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

. It was to have its grand opening on 1 May 1986, in time for the

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. T ...

celebrations, but these plans were cancelled on 26 April, when the

Chernobyl disaster The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union. It is one of only two nuc ...

occurred a few kilometers away. Several sources report that the park was opened for a short time on 27 April before the announcement to evacuate the city was made. These reports claim that the park was hurriedly opened to distract Pripyat residents from the unfolding disaster nearby. However, these claims remain largely unsubstantiated and unsupported. Pripyat residents have not been able to recall for sure if the park was opened following the disaster, but considering the lack of panic at the time of the disaster and subsequent evacuation, there would seem to be no need to distract people. In any case, the park—and its

ferris wheel A Ferris wheel (also called a Giant Wheel or an observation wheel) is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components (commonly referred to as passenger cars, cabins, tubs, gondolas, capsules ...

in particular—have become a symbol of the Chernobyl disaster.

Attractions

Constructed under the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

as a " Парк культуры и отдыха" (Park of Culture and Rest) typical of many large cities in the then Soviet Union, the amusement park's attractions were manufactured by the

Yeysk Yeysk (russian: Ейск) is a port and a resort town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated on the shore of the Taganrog Gulf of the Sea of Azov. The town is built primarily on the Yeysk Spit, which separates the Yeya River from the Sea of Azov. P ...

-based firm " Аттракцион" (Attraction), who were responsible for the construction of many of the amusement parks which remain to be seen around the former Soviet Union today in various states of repair. Located north-west to the Palace of Culture in the center of Pripyat, the park had five attractions: * The iconic 26 m (85 ft.)

"Круговой обзор" ('Circular Overview') *

Bumper cars Bumper cars or dodgems are the generic names for a type of flat amusement ride consisting of multiple small electrically powered cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator. Bumpe ...

"Автодром" ('Autodrome') * Paratrooper ride "Ромашка" ('Chamomile') *

Swing boats A swing boat, colloquially known as a "shuggy boat" in Northern England, is a fairground ride in which pairs of riders pull ropes to swing back and forth. A similar ride called a pirate ship swings in a similar motion but without the rider pullin ...

"Русские качели" ('Russian Swing') * The park also contains a carnival shooting game The successor to the original company is still manufacturing the Ferris wheel, paratrooper and bumper cars to largely unaltered designs as of 2017.

Radiation

Radiation levels around the park vary. The liquidators washed radiation into the soil after the helicopters carrying radioactive materials used the grounds as a landing strip, so concreted areas are less radioactive. However, areas where moss has built up can emit up to 25,000 µSv/h, among the highest level of radiation in the whole of Pripyat.

Films, games, media and literature

The park plays significant roles in the video games '' S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl'', '' Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare'', ''Chernobylite'', and the film ''

Chernobyl Diaries ''Chernobyl Diaries'' is a 2012 American disaster horror film co-written and produced by Oren Peli and directed by Brad Parker, in his directorial debut. The film stars Jonathan Sadowski, Jesse McCartney, Devin Kelley, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Ing ...

''. The park plays significant roles too in

Markiyan Kamysh Markiyan Kamysh ( uk, Маркіян Камиш, born 19 October 1988) is a Ukrainian novelist. Biography Markiyan Kamysh is the only person who represents the Chernobyl underground in literature. Since 2010, he has been illegally exploring the ...

's novel about illegal Chernobyl trips, ''A Stroll to the Zone''. The ferris wheel made news in September 2017 when Polish tourists turned it mechanically for the first time since 1986, later returning it to its original position. The park appeared in

Suede Suede (pronounced ) is a type of leather with a fuzzy, napped finish, commonly used for jackets, shoes, fabrics, purses, furniture, and other items. The term comes from the French , which literally means "gloves from Sweden". The term was fir ...

's music video clip, " Life Is Golden". In the horror novel series/show ''

The Strain ''The Strain'' is a 2009 vampire horror novel by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. It is the first installment in ''The Strain Trilogy'', and was followed by '' The Fall'' (2010) and ''The Night Eternal'' (2011). Plot synopsis A Boeing 77 ...

'', Chernobyl NPP was the birthplace of an ancient vampire and the nuclear accident was a test by another ancient to destroy his ground.

References

External links

Graham Gilmore Photography , Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Abseiling The ferris Wheel In Pripyat

Satellite photo of Pripyat ferris wheel
Google Maps
Obsidian Urbex Photography , Photos taken in 2016
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pripyat Amusement Park 1986 establishments in Ukraine 1986 disestablishments in Ukraine Amusement parks in Ukraine

Amusement Park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Defunct amusement parks Amusement parks opened in 1986 Amusement parks closed in 1986 Modern ruins