Pripyat Palace of Culture Energetik & Music School, Chernobyl

Palace of Culture Energetik

Palace of Culture Energetik is an abandoned “Palaces of Culture” in Pripyat. These venues were common features in Soviet-era towns, acting primarily as community centres. Consequently, large towns would generally have several of these palaces. There were over 130,000 in the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

These buildings typically were visually impressive in appearance. Specifically, they acted as a hub for arts and recreation for the town’s inhabitants. Communist propaganda posters and banners would decorate the walls inside.

Each would have a unique and motivational name. “Energetik” is the name of this palace. This name is a play-on-words, amalgamating “energetic” and “power plant worker”. Inside there are the remains of a cinema, theatre, gymnasium and swimming pool. It was built in 1972 and subsequently abandoned after the Chernobyl reactor meltdown in 1986.

The gymnasium features the remains of a hockey or football net. The large windows are now devoid of glass, as a result of the passage of time. Trees emerge from the buckling wooden floor and push up the planks.

Stored in the theatre prop room are several paintings. These stand in contrast to the rest of the building (which is relatively devoid of decoration). These feature Lenin, in addition to other political figures. These casually lean against a wall, next to an old banner in traditional communist red.

Music School

Pripyat had many schools, including Middle School No.3. However, there was only one music school. This building is situated between the Palace of Culture and the Prometheus Cinema. The exterior of the music school is quite beautiful. Brightly coloured tiles adorn the facade. Even after 40 years, their colours remain quite clear.

In the main auditorium stands a dusty and musty piano stands on the stage. A single-seat remains in-situ, looking down upon the piano from the back of the auditorium.