Table of Contents and Quick Navigation

The Kindergarten of Kopachi
Evacuees and Returnees
Tourism in the restricted Zone
Liquidators - the Heroes of Chernobyl
The Village of Prypjat
Prypjat Amusement Park
The Sarcophagus
DUGA-3 Radar Station
Nature comes back

The Kindergarten of Kopachi

The kindergarten belongs to the former village Kopachi. It is located next to the access road to Chernobyl and surrounded by forest. However, we do not see any other buildings. Because the village Kopachi with 1,114 inhabitants at that time no longer exists. It lies within the 30 km exclusion zone that was established around the damaged reactor block after the accident. Within this exclusion zone all wooden houses were torn down for fire protection reasons and buried afterwards. Only two stone houses remained from the village of Kopachi. One of them is the kindergarten.

It's an oppressive feeling here. A mixture of grief and anger is noticeable in my chest. I hold my camera and take some pictures of the lovingly painted paper bunnies and the colourful matryoshkas on the wall. But then I leave the building. Because a large group of visitors from a coach makes its way to the entrance door. I would rather be alone for a while with my impressions.

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Evacuees and Returnees

On 26 April 1986 the reactor accident occurred in Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. But it was not until 27 April 1986, 36 hours after the accident, that the evacuation of the 50,000 inhabitants of Prypyat began. On 2 May the inhabitants of Chernobyl were evacuated. On 4 May the evacuation of the people from the 30 km zone began. By 5 May, 160,000 people had left their residential areas and more than 70 villages had been abandoned. In memory of these abandoned places, a monument was erected in the city of Chernobyl. It consists of place-name signs that line up along a path like crosses.

A total of 330,000 inhabitants had to be evacuated due to the accident. However, in their new home they were not always welcomed, but were sometimes discriminated against as radioactively contaminated.

However, some of the resettled people have returned to their homeland. Some even returned a year after the disaster. Since then they have been living without electricity and running water in the hostile area, some for about 30 years. However, it is unknown how many people live in the restricted area. Estimates are based on about 200 people. Only adults with a minimum age of 50 years are allowed to return officially.

In addition to the returnees who live permanently in the restricted zone, there are about 3,000 people who work in the restricted zone. Most of them work in two-week shifts. Many of them live in the town of Slavutych, 50 km away, which was rebuilt to replace Prypyat after the disaster. In the meantime, about 25,000 people live in the new town, the average age is 30 years. The average income is about twice as high as in the rest of the country, so the city is attractive for many young people.

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Tourism in the restricted Zone

Since July 2011, the exclusion zone around the damaged reactor block has been open to visitors. The number of visitors has grown continuously since then. In 2018 there were 70,000 visitors. For 2019, 90,000 visitors are expected. Various agencies offer tours into the restricted zone. Some of them even include a visit to the Babuschkas, the older ladies who have returned home.

In the meantime there is also a hostel and several restaurants in Chernobyl. At the checkpoint, which regulates the access to the restricted area, there is a wide selection of souvenirs to buy. Postcards, books, refrigerator magnets and T-shirts are on sale. I feel a bit like in the Mecca of sensational and disaster tourism.

The reasons why tens of thousands of people visit the place every year are certainly very different. Some have a serious interest in the story, others just an interest in tasteless photos for Instagram. But I very much hope that this place will make every visitor think. Just out of respect for the victims and the bereaved.

There are already ideas to register the city for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The documentary heritage related to the accident was already listed in 2017. The documents kept in the State Archives of Ukraine should help to understand the causes of the disaster and its global consequences. During the Soviet era, many documents were subject to secrecy. The release of these documents in the independent Ukraine therefore every year expands the basis for research into the nuclear accident.

But Chernobyl is more than just a Mecca of sensational and disaster tourism. In recent years it has become a symbol of the anti-nuclear movement. It is a memorial to the dangers of nuclear power and the greatest man-made catastrophe ever. A disaster that we must not forget.

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Liquidators - the Heroes of Chernobyl

In any case, a visit to the restricted zone leads to strong emotions. These include sadness and compassion for the many victims. We also pay tribute to the heroes, the liquidators, who secured and cleaned up the reactor after the accident. But anger, in particular, is one of the emotions that arise. Anger at the system, which left the victims in the dark and exposed them to radiation for longer than necessary. Because only very few people were aware of the events and dangers at the time.

It remains unclear how many liquidators risked their lives to save other human lives after the reactor disaster. Various sources report between 500,000 and 800,000 people. People who at some point knew that they would suffer physical damage or even risk death. But still they continued their work. Carefully and conscientiously. With all the means at their disposal. Protected by homemade suits and lead plates tied to their backs, they fought an invisible enemy.

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The Village of Prypjat

I get out of the minibus and notice immediately that the wind has refreshed. A gust whirls up dust from the gravel road. I hold my scarf in front of my face, cover my mouth and nose and breathe carefully. Just don't inhale any dust. Because the biggest radiation exposure comes from the inside. From tiny particles, which are taken up over the food or breathing air. For this reason, eating and drinking outdoors within the restricted zone is not permitted.

Prypjat is about 4 kilometres away from the damaged reactor block. In 1986, before the catastrophe, the city had 50,000 inhabitants. The average age was about 26 years. There were 15,500 children living in the city. Around noon on 27 April, the population was finally asked to prepare for a three-day absence. The inhabitants were left in the belief that they would be able to return soon after their evacuation. The remaining furniture and furnishings now tell their stories.

However, due to the danger of collapse, it was no longer possible to enter the buildings during my Easter 2019 tour.

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Prypjat Amusement Park

The Prypjat amusement park is one of the most famous motifs from the restricted zone. The big Ferris wheel is one of the most impressive memorials for the nuclear catastrophe. The park was built for the May 1, 1986 celebrations. One day after the Chernobyl disaster, the park was opened to the public. It was supposed to provide distraction. But after only a few hours the evacuation of the city began.

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The Sarcophagus

Um den Reaktorblock 4 wurde nach der Havarie schließlich eine Schutzhülle aus Stahl und Beton errichtet. Nach 200 Tagen Bauzeit war sie dann fertig und bot einen ersten Schutz gegen die Strahlung. Der alte “Sarkophag” hat jedoch über die Jahre Risse bekommen und drohte einzustürzen. Daher wurde ein neuer Sarkophag in ca. 300 m Abstand zum Reaktor errichtet. Nach fünf Jahren Bauzeit wurde er dann im Jahr 2016 auf Schienen Stück für Stück über die alte Hülle geschoben. Es ist das größte bewegliche Bauwerk der Welt und ist 30.000 Tonnen schwer. Nun soll es die nächsten 100 Jahre lang den Austritt radioaktiver Stoffe verhindern.

Today, next to the power station, a monument commemorates the victims of Chernobyl.

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DUGA-3 Radar Station

A narrow, kilometre-long concrete slab road leads us through a dense coniferous forest directly to an abandoned military area. Above the treetops we can spot the huge antennas of the DUGA-3 radar station. It is a very impressive building that consists of a larger and a smaller antenna. The bigger one is about 450 meters long and about 150 meters high, the smaller one is only about 250 meters wide and 80 meters high. The over-horizon radar used here is also called "Woodpecker", because the sounds produced are reminiscent of the knocking of a woodpecker. DUGA-3 was part of the Soviet missile defence system. It was intended to detect the launch of missiles in Europe and America. The station is said to have had a range of over 10,000 km. After the reactor disaster, however, the station had to be abandoned and technical details and photos were made public.

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Nature comes back

But nature is slowly but unstoppably recovering the area around the damaged reactor. Thus the abandoned ghost town becomes a new habitat. Birches and willows now overgrow the open spaces. Moose and wild boars, deer and wolves populate the region. The photo traps have even documented a brown bear. In order to increase the diversity of species, Przewalski horses have been settled here, which have been developing steadily for several years. We were lucky and saw a herd of them.

Have you ever been to Chernobyl yourself? What were your impressions? Do you have any questions about my article or further suggestions? If so, please write me a comment!

Der Beitrag Tschernobyl – Fotografieren gegen das Vergessen erschien zuerst auf Fernweh-Motive.

Creative for peace with Street Art

Meanwhile, Kiev counts about 160 street art works by 35 artists. Many of the so-called Murals were created in cooperation with ArtUnitedUs. Since the year of Euromaidan 2014, the street art project supports local and international artists. It draws public attention to themes such as war, aggression and violence and wants to carry messages of peace to the world with the murals. Street Art will give Kiev a new face and a new identity. It is also a symbol of the process of detachment from the Soviet era.

Walking Tour - Street Art in Kiev

A Street Art Tour invites you to discover the less touristy districts of Kiev, side streets and backyards. Various agencies offer guided tours of a number of selected works of art. However, if you prefer to go on your own, you can use the map of Kyivmural put together your own tour. You can also combine your Street Art Tour with visits to other sights or museums in Kiev. Furthermore the website of streetartcities also offers a map with the exact location of the murals. You will also find additional information about each artwork.

But if you want to see all the paintings you have to bring time. Because the works are spread all over the city. Below I have compiled some of the more centrally located street art works that I was able to see in Kiev at Easter 2019.

Herald of Life by Alexander Brytsev (November 2015)

Address: Reitarska Street 9b

To find the "Crows" you have to go through a grey metal door into the backyard first. On the left you will see the painting, on the right you will find an aviary. Three crows have been living in this aviary for 20 years now. The brick wall opposite the aviary is completely covered with dark blue crows surrounding a single white bird. It is a symbol of good news and the birth of new life.

From Russia with love by MTO (2018)

Address: Mechnikova Street 18

The artwork was painted on an empty wall, all windows, all tiles are painted. The heart is a digital bomb sent from Moscow to Kiev. The mural stands for the hacker attack on Ukraine's power supply in recent years, for which Russian hackers are held responsible. Other interpretations, however, see the heart as an image for Ukraine, whose right side - eastern Ukraine - is torn apart by explosions.

Changing of the climate by Fintan Magee (2015)

Address: Vulitsya Sergіya Gusovskogo 10/8

In his work, Fintan Magee often deals with environmental issues. He often uses personal stories to talk about broader issues such as climate change and the migration crisis.

Carousel of cars by M-City (December 2015)

Address: Striletska Street 20B

The artist M-City mostly uses industrial-mechanical motifs in his paintings and "Carousel" is one of them: the mechanical carousel of cars.

Lesya Ukrainka by Guido van Helten (July 2015)

Address: Striletska Street 28

Lesya Ukrainka (1871-1913) was a Ukrainian writer and also an active political and feminist activist. Her poem "Lily of the Valley" inspired the artist to create this 7-storey mural. The young woman looks to the horizon and is framed by flowers in the lower part of the painting.

Saint Yuri by AEC Interesni Kazki (UKR) (October 2014)

Address: Velyka Zhytomyrska Street 38

The painting was created under the influence of events such as the annexation of the Crimea and the war in Donbas. The double-headed snake represents a nation divided into two halves by Russia: On one side the Eastern bloc, on the other the Western NATO member states.

Yaroslav the Wise by Dmitry Fatum (November 2015)

Address: Striletska Street 6

In this colourful street art painting, the Ukrainian artist portrayed Prince Yaroslav the Wise from Kiev before his death, when he handed over a ball to his son Izyaslav. The ball is a symbol of power and strength.

Upside Down Girl by Fintan Magee (July 2015)

Address: Striletska Street 12

The picture is dedicated to the Ukrainian gymnast Anna Rizatdinova. She was born in Crimea and won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She is also a world champion in the practice with tires and a multiple prize winner of the World and European Championships.

Fintan Magee showed Anna at the moment of a flip. The artist commented on her picture: "Every woman can achieve everything she dreams of".

Time of Changes by Waone (November 2014)

Address: Striletska Street 6

A wall full of symbolism and mythology. If you look at this large, detailed mural, you will notice the six-armed Cossack. Then the putin-like snake that winds its way around the earth. In the background you can see a marching monkey with a grenade and a poster with the inscription "To Kiev". Furthermore, tires are on fire. What does the author describe? Is it an allegory of the fight between good and evil?

The man by Aryz (2018)

Address: Velyka Zhytomyrska Street 6a

The Spanish artist represented a person who courageously and proudly holds something like a flag, but a viewer cannot see the color, only the flagpole.

Swans of Tara's Arm (December 2016)

Address: Heorhiivskyi Street 9

Taras expresses his concept of leadership in his work of art. He shows a flock of birds following their leader during a long-distance flight. He also chose the colours of the picture according to the colours of the sky.

The Enterpeneur by INO (2016)

Address: Mechnikova Street, 18a

The picture shows a man reaching for a frighteningly large hand. A closer look reveals that the artist has created a faceless businessman holding the hand of a working class.

The boy and the sea by Rustam Qbic (2018)

Address: Moskovskaya Street 36

This is a painting about a boy sitting on the beach during sunset. He dreams of faraway lands beyond the seas and oceans.

The Black Sea by Jake Aikman (August 2017)

Address: Bulvarno Kudriavaska Street 35

Jake Aikman's works are characterized by the mystery and ambiguity of an isolated moment. Fascinating seascapes that suggest something hidden in the depths of the ocean.

Self-Made Man by Alexander Grebenyuk (October 2015)

Address: Olesia Honchara Street 24a

"As a picture I used the man who typed and got so absorbed in this process and her idea that he began to transform into what he does," says artist Alexander Grebenyuk. The Self-Made Man by Alexander Grebenyuk is dedicated to journalism.

Rise Up in the Dirt by bkfoxx (2017)

Address: Moskovskaya Street 30

The painting is a beautiful participant in a grey concrete landscape. Even if life gives you the cold shoulder, even if the world lies in ruins - hope remains. Like a stubborn, simple blade of grass, it breaks through the encrustations of resignation.

Revival by Alexey Kislovsky and Julien Mullan (2017)

Address: Borychiv Tik Street 33/6

The painting depicts the rebirth of Ukraine after the revolution in 2014. The girl is wearing a military jacket as worn by the Euromaidan Protestants. Therefore it symbolizes the new spirit of Ukraine. The child in her hand stands for the restored hope. "Revival" is also the most famous of all street art paintings in Kiev.

Red Bicycle by Emmanuel Jarus (May 2016)

Address: Viacheslava Lypynskoho Street 13

The wall painting of a man wearing a baseball cap, a white T-shirt and a red bicycle is part of a collection of 200 works painted over two years as part of the Art United Us Festival. It is a story about the revival of the 100 year old cycle path in the city.

Portrait of Serhiy Nigoyan by Vhils (Summer 2015)

Address: Mykhailivska Street 22

The portrait shows Euromaidan activist Serhiy Nigoyan who was shot dead in 2014 during Hrushevskoho Street demonstrations. He was the first victim of the anti-government demonstrations. Soon he became the symbol of the Ukrainian Revolution.

A peculiarity is that this work of art is not painted on the wall like the others. The portrait is carved directly into the exposed bricks and plaster.

People Jumble by Zbiok (May 2011)

Address: Olesia Honchara Street 9

This somewhat cubistic-looking painting is one of the first street art works that appeared in Kiev in 2011. Slavomir Tchaikovsky, who works under the pseudonym Zbiok, uses it to depict the complex relationships between people.

Multiplex - About movie by Egle Zvirblyte (2018)

Address: Mykhailivska Street 7

Egle Zvirblyte was commissioned by the Multiplex Cinemas chain to decorate a billboard in the heart of Kiev with street art. It could not be direct advertising, but had to reflect the spirit of the multiplex cinemas.

Children by Konstantin Strikutsky (December 2010)

Address: Olesia Honchara Street 21

This mural was already created in 2010 and is thus one of the very early works. It is not a mural in the true sense of the word. Instead, the wall of the house is covered with a mosaic.

Children Playing by Konstantin Skrytutskyi (December 2015)

Address: Olesia Honchara Street 21

This work of art is not a painting but a mosaic. The idea behind it is that everyone should take responsibility for their city. In the dark you can read two psalms and the Ten Commandments.

Bright Abstract Design by Guillaume Albi (Spring 2015)

Address: Observatorna Street 3

Guillaume Alby aka Remed works on the combination of mathematics and calligraphy and strives for harmonious purity, combined with the flow and energy of the line. He searches for truth through simplicity and finds a universal language of form and colour.

Have you ever been to Kiev and seen the great street art here? Which works did you like best? Do you have any questions or further tips? If so, then write me a comment!

Recommendations for further Reading

Do you love street art as much as I do? Then take a look at Street-Art in La Paz .

Are you planning a trip to Ukraine right now? Then you might also be interested in my article about Chernobyl - Photography against oblivion.

Der Beitrag Street Art in Kiew erschien zuerst auf Fernweh-Motive.