Curiosities of Kyiv: The Cemetery of Cranes

The cemetery of cranes in Kyiv is real post-industrial exotica, which you are unlikely to find anywhere else. Here, outdated equipment – huge rusty skeletons of cranes, metal frames of various structures that once helped build the city – is stored on a large site. The official name of this place is the Crane Management Material Base. They chose this place not by chance but because of its close location to the metal base. Some of the cranes were installed as reserve equipment since it was planned to use them in the future. However, the place was nicknamed a cemetery for a following reason.

Cranes have a limited service life. There are also whole cranes here - they are stored as reserve equipment for the construction of buildings no higher than the fifth floor. However, looking at them, you would not say that one could still build something using them. Most of the equipment is in a non-working and disassembled state.

Separate parts of the cranes - driver's cabins, jibs, counterweights, trolleys and hook blocks - are scattered around the site and are gradually rusting. The atmosphere of this place is very reminiscent of post-apocalyptic scenes from fantasy movies, especially in foggy weather or at dusk. Fans of exotic photo sessions will definitely appreciate it.

The "industrial cemetery" is surrounded by a fence and guarded but if you behave politely, you can be given a guided tour. However, you should be very careful here because a pack of dogs lives in the "cemetery."

The cemetery of cranes is located at 7 Promyslova Street. It is near the Vydubychi metro station. The reference point is the MD Group metal base.