29. Rooftopping Pripyat
I start the day waking up in Chernobyl with an awful hangover from drinking with the guards into the small hours. What better way to blast it out than some rooftopping, Pripyat stylee.
It’s actually illegal to enter any of the buildings in Pripyat, although I’ve never known anyone to go, and not get in.
We choose the tallest building in Prypiat (16 Storeys) and make our way in.
We start climbing, and the guide explains to me that we can go to the top floor, but we mustn’t be seen, and that the roof is out of bounds. We arrive slightly out of breath at the 16th floor and enter a flat through a funky padded door:
I make my way onto the balcony and despite all instincts, I look down:
Then I look up…The view is awesome:
Duga 3 in the distance:
Building opposite:
Nothing prepares you to take in that much abandonment.
I probably spend around 12 hours a week looking for abandoned buildings - Here, I have 13,800 abandoned dwellings laid out before me.
The iconic chimney of Reactor 4, looms ominously on the horizon, some 5Km away:
I pose for some shots on a small projecting balcony, and my guide seems to be getting nervous. Although everyone knows everyone goes in the buildings, he’s not keen for me to be spotted.
The whole time he stands close to a utility cupboard which is emanating daylight, it’s blatantly the way to the roof...
“Is time to go now” he calls. “Oh OK” I call back, pretending to photograph another padded door.
He tuts as I make yet more adjustments to my camera and he starts to head back down, assuming I’m following him…
I make a sprint past where he was standing seconds ago, and rapidly, yet very carefully climb the last ladder stage out onto the roof.
Although it’s only 20ft higher than where I just was the view is 360 degrees.
Nearly ever night for the last decade I’ve dreamt of being in a group of the last few survivors on Earth.
I strive on a daily basis to get a feel of what it would be like, mainly through urbex.
Never has it felt as real as this: standing several hundred feet up, with abandonment as far as the eye can see, at least 25Km in each direction.
I notice a telegraph pole near the edge, and realise I could be even higher than where I am now.
I leap up onto the pole and cling on, taking in the vast landscape beneath me.
A gust of wind lurches the pole forward, making a grinding noise in it’s fittings.
Not wanting to take the quick way down, nor wanting to be spotted by my guide (who must nearly be at the ground by now) I take a minute to chill by the edge.
I make my way in, and rush down the stairs. Taking half-staircases with one leap.
I catch up with my guide just as he’s nearing the ground floor. We look at the books once again and the residents directory.
We leave the building and I look back up the roof with a massive grin…
******************************************************************************************
“If Its Illegal To Enter Any Of Them, Why Do They Do Tours?
And That First Shot Is Amazing!
I All Ways View Your Pictures With Such Envy, There Allways Amazing!”
King Lewis - 15th June 2011
“It's also illigal to make a CD-R to put in your car, or photocopy an OS map, or tear a stamp...
In all seriousness my guide does reckon it will be properly forbidden to enter buildings in Pripyat within 5 years, and it will be enforced. The buildings are deterioriating badly, I think it'd only take a couple of tourist injuries to get certian building put off limits.
Aww cheers for the compliments There is still better out there yet to come”
UrbanX
“Great views and it looks like u had some really good weather to go with it!”
Tommo - 16th June 2011
“Those roof top views are spot on…didn’t realise you could see the Russian Eye from Pripyat either”
Klempner69 - 16th June 2011
“Awesome stuff, photo 10 is the one I like best, but the panoramas do take your breath away”
Night Crawler - 16th June 2011
“Really fantastic shots! I hadn’t realised how tall the buildings really are!
It must have been an amazing experience
Do you know why the padded the doors?”
Em_UX - 16th June 2011
“What an absolutely amazing set of pictures!
Pripyat is always portrayed as such a depressing place that has nothing but sadness and regret and yet you mange to capture it looking so bright and almost promising. It leaves you thinking that maybe one day children will play there again (although I know that many generations will not get to see this pass).
UrbanX... these images are all a credit to you, thank you for posting up pictures that show this tragic area in a new, shining light.
Oh, and I adore those padded doors, so luxurious.”
Curious Dragon - 16th June 2011
“WOW that’s all I can say…just wow!”
Acebikerchick - 16th June 2011
“More super pics there UrbanX!! Amazing stuff”
KingAl - 19th June 2011
“I love the one with the ferris wheel in, a different view of that is nice to see,
I bet this is costing you a small fortune”
Derelict-UK - 19th June 2011
“One word…EPIC!!!”
Audi Adam - 19th June 2011
“I so agree Derelict. have looked at these pics so many times and still get a shiver up my spine when that photo graces my screen.…”
Acebikerchick - 19th June 2011
It’s actually illegal to enter any of the buildings in Pripyat, although I’ve never known anyone to go, and not get in.
We choose the tallest building in Prypiat (16 Storeys) and make our way in.
We start climbing, and the guide explains to me that we can go to the top floor, but we mustn’t be seen, and that the roof is out of bounds. We arrive slightly out of breath at the 16th floor and enter a flat through a funky padded door:
I make my way onto the balcony and despite all instincts, I look down:
Then I look up…The view is awesome:
Duga 3 in the distance:
Building opposite:
Nothing prepares you to take in that much abandonment.
I probably spend around 12 hours a week looking for abandoned buildings - Here, I have 13,800 abandoned dwellings laid out before me.
The iconic chimney of Reactor 4, looms ominously on the horizon, some 5Km away:
I pose for some shots on a small projecting balcony, and my guide seems to be getting nervous. Although everyone knows everyone goes in the buildings, he’s not keen for me to be spotted.
The whole time he stands close to a utility cupboard which is emanating daylight, it’s blatantly the way to the roof...
“Is time to go now” he calls. “Oh OK” I call back, pretending to photograph another padded door.
He tuts as I make yet more adjustments to my camera and he starts to head back down, assuming I’m following him…
I make a sprint past where he was standing seconds ago, and rapidly, yet very carefully climb the last ladder stage out onto the roof.
Although it’s only 20ft higher than where I just was the view is 360 degrees.
Nearly ever night for the last decade I’ve dreamt of being in a group of the last few survivors on Earth.
I strive on a daily basis to get a feel of what it would be like, mainly through urbex.
Never has it felt as real as this: standing several hundred feet up, with abandonment as far as the eye can see, at least 25Km in each direction.
I notice a telegraph pole near the edge, and realise I could be even higher than where I am now.
I leap up onto the pole and cling on, taking in the vast landscape beneath me.
A gust of wind lurches the pole forward, making a grinding noise in it’s fittings.
Not wanting to take the quick way down, nor wanting to be spotted by my guide (who must nearly be at the ground by now) I take a minute to chill by the edge.
I make my way in, and rush down the stairs. Taking half-staircases with one leap.
I catch up with my guide just as he’s nearing the ground floor. We look at the books once again and the residents directory.
We leave the building and I look back up the roof with a massive grin…
******************************************************************************************
“If Its Illegal To Enter Any Of Them, Why Do They Do Tours?
And That First Shot Is Amazing!
I All Ways View Your Pictures With Such Envy, There Allways Amazing!”
King Lewis - 15th June 2011
“It's also illigal to make a CD-R to put in your car, or photocopy an OS map, or tear a stamp...
In all seriousness my guide does reckon it will be properly forbidden to enter buildings in Pripyat within 5 years, and it will be enforced. The buildings are deterioriating badly, I think it'd only take a couple of tourist injuries to get certian building put off limits.
Aww cheers for the compliments There is still better out there yet to come”
UrbanX
“Great views and it looks like u had some really good weather to go with it!”
Tommo - 16th June 2011
“Those roof top views are spot on…didn’t realise you could see the Russian Eye from Pripyat either”
Klempner69 - 16th June 2011
“Awesome stuff, photo 10 is the one I like best, but the panoramas do take your breath away”
Night Crawler - 16th June 2011
“Really fantastic shots! I hadn’t realised how tall the buildings really are!
It must have been an amazing experience
Do you know why the padded the doors?”
Em_UX - 16th June 2011
“What an absolutely amazing set of pictures!
Pripyat is always portrayed as such a depressing place that has nothing but sadness and regret and yet you mange to capture it looking so bright and almost promising. It leaves you thinking that maybe one day children will play there again (although I know that many generations will not get to see this pass).
UrbanX... these images are all a credit to you, thank you for posting up pictures that show this tragic area in a new, shining light.
Oh, and I adore those padded doors, so luxurious.”
Curious Dragon - 16th June 2011
“WOW that’s all I can say…just wow!”
Acebikerchick - 16th June 2011
“More super pics there UrbanX!! Amazing stuff”
KingAl - 19th June 2011
“I love the one with the ferris wheel in, a different view of that is nice to see,
I bet this is costing you a small fortune”
Derelict-UK - 19th June 2011
“One word…EPIC!!!”
Audi Adam - 19th June 2011
“I so agree Derelict. have looked at these pics so many times and still get a shiver up my spine when that photo graces my screen.…”
Acebikerchick - 19th June 2011
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