The theme park was due to open just in time for the May 1, 1986 celebrations, but those plans were canceled on April 26, when the Chernobyl disaster struck a few kilometers away.

Multiple sources report that the park opened for a short time on April 27, before the announcement was made to evacuate the city

and a website shows photos of the amusement park in operation.

Theories that the park was hastily opened after the accident to distract the residents of Pripyat from the disaster nearby,

shine through a video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPo9-cpsuQE) to be substantiated.

However, you can see that some of the rides were not ready (fairings were missing and not all rides were complete).

It is more likely and generally accepted that the video was taken during the winter due to the clothing worn and was a test. Given the lack of panic at the time of the evacuation, there was no need to distract people.

In any case, the park - and especially its Ferris wheel - has become a symbol of the Chernobyl disaster.

The amusement park was built under the Soviet Union as "Парк культуры и отдыха" (Park of Culture and Tranquility), which is common to many large cities in

typical of the former Soviet Union. The amusement park attractions were manufactured by the Yeysk-based company "Аттракцион" (attraction). Who were responsible for building many amusement parks.

These are today still, in different states, in then former States of To see Soviet Union.

Located northwest of the Palace of Culture in the center of Pripyat, the park had five attractions:

The legendary 26 m high Ferris wheel "Круговой обзор" ('circular overview')

A bumper car "Автодром" ('Autodrome')

A paratrooper ride "Ромашка" ('chamomile')

The rocking boats "Русские качели" ('Russian swing')
in the Park befand itself also a carnival shooting game

The successor to the original company has been manufacturing the ferris wheel, paratrooper and bumper cars since
1999 according to largely unchanged plans (www.attractions.ru/english).