Friday, May 25, 2007

Pripyat - City Of The Future

In Soviet Ukraine, Pripyat was known as the city of the future. Built in 1970 for the workers at Chernobyl's nuclear power-plant, it had beautiful new housing, modern facilities and a vibrant young community. Then on april 26th, 1986, reactor 4 at Chernobyl explodes, sending an enormous radioactive cloud over northern Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus. The danger is kept a secret from the population of Pripyat who go about their business as usual 3km away. Children play, lovers get married, shops trade and the residents marvel at the spectacular fire taking place at the reactor. After 3 days an area the size of England becomes contaminated with radioactive dust. the 50,000 inhabitants are eventually evacuated over the course of a single day. with the population displaced, forgotten and damaged, Pripyat still remains empty today.


YouTube - Pripyat - city of the future

BBC - Film Network - Pripyat: City of the Future
Directed by David Bickerstaff. With links to his sites.

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