Урбекс

Urbex

Useful Information

Location:	Different meeting point for each tour. (50.451689, 30.505543)
Open:	After appointment, see online booking. [2023]
Fee:	Long UAH 399, Middle UAH 349. English: Long EUR 39, Short UAH 19. [2023]
Classification:	Water Supply Secret Bunker World War II Bunker
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	T=12 °C.
Guided tours:	D=2-3 h, MinAge=7.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Urbex, Київ, вул. Олеся Гончара 32В оф 13, Viber: +380-937-425-997. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1916	Mykilska drainage system completed.
1990s	explored by the Kiev urban explorers.
2012	Urbex Tour founded.

Description

Урбекс (Urbex) is an organisation of urban explorers, which roam the underground tunnels of the capital. They offer different tours into the underground, which are not very difficult, as those are artificial spaces with level floor. There might be a ladder to climb, there is definitely no light, and as there is water it's a good idea to use gum boots. They provide special rubber boots which are pulled over your actual walking shoes and tied to the belt with laces. As far as we understand they are from the Russian army. We strongly recommend a helmet with headlamp, as there are low sections which require stooping. Also clothes which may get dirty. Due to the wetness, taking a camera or backpack with you is discouraged but not forbidden. Some tours depend on the weather, so they may be cancelled on rainy days.

They offer the tours at fixed dates through their online booking system. In other words, if there is a tour while you are in the city, you are lucky, but you have to take what you get. This is not a big problem as any tour is interesting. They also offer private tours, so you can actually select the location, but the basic fee is quite steep, as it is intended for groups. It's also possible to book the tours with a tour operator, which has the advantage that they book the tour and sell tickets to individuals. Three of those operators are actually specialized on Chernobyl tours, but they also sell underground tours in Kiev. They offer full packages including pick-up and drop-off at the hotel.

The city Kiev grew on the right side of the Dnieper river across numerous wooded hills (Kyiv Hills), with ravines and small rivers. The rivers separated the parts of the city, made bridges necessary, were smelly, used for garbage, and sometime even caused floods. Since the 19th century one river after the other was covered with vaults, there was no more danger of floods and the gained ground was used for more buildings. But most of the tunnels are actually a result of the marl, a rather soft rock, which becomes even softer when it gets too wet. Heavy rains could cause landslides and wreak havoc. To avoid this the hills were drained by complex underground drainage systems. There is not a single system of canals, there are several systems. Why they used a separate system and not the sewers is unclear. Since these canals are used to drain rainwater and small rivers, the water in them is clean and drinkable, at least in theory. There is no bad smell and no rats.

Аскольдова (Askoldova) is the longest and deepest underground labyrinth of Kyiv and located below Slavy Park. It was named after the Askold's Grave near the Arsenalna metro station, where the entrance is located. It reaches a depth of 50 m, has several levels, and 5 km of tunnels. Numerous kinds of tunnel construction were used, so the construction details are very informative. Highlight is a 33 m deep circular shaft which has a strange concrete boxwork support. Some older passages originate from the 19th century and contain speleothems which have formed in more than 100 years. The dripping water is abundant on this tour and some kind of raincoat is recommended.

Микільська (Mykilska) is another part of the drainage system of Kiev. It was built to protect the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra hills from landslides by draining them. The tours are 3 km long and reach a depth of 36 m. The first drainage tunnels at the beginning of the 18th century. The youngest part was constructed in the early 20th century by the Russian Empire engineering forces and was completed in 1916. The tunnels are quite popular for (illegal?) Techno-Raves.

The Cold War Bunker is one of numerous such bunkers which were built during the Cold War for civil defense. The bunker was abandoned after the Cold War, 30 years ago, and is not restored, but while a little rusted any infrastructure is still there. The massive bombproof doors, the diesel engine and generator for electricity, the air filters and water system. The bunker was intended for the personell from above office buildings. There are computers from the 70s which were placed in Faraday cages as a protection against electromagnetic pulses (EMP). Nuclear-safe storage of data was made primarily on paper. The highlight is a room with artifacts from Soviet times like Geiger counters, gas masks, phones and issues of the Pravda.

Підземний Поділ (Underground Podil) is a rather huge 19th century tunnel that stretches under the entire Podil neighborhood of Kyiv. This is one of the oldest parts of the city located in the center at the river, and it has a harbour. So theis was the trade and commerce center of the city. The tunnel is a main drainage tunnel which is able to drain enormous amounts of water. The reason is that this tunnel is actually the underground river Hlybochytsia, which originally flowed on the surface and divided Podil in half. It has two tributaries, the Kudriavets which today flows in pipes, and the Kyianka. The rivers were surrounded by buildings and flowed in dirty and neglected ditches. In the early 19th century they were straightened, the floor was paved with stone, and the banks were surrounded by oak ramparts. In the 1860s, the first section of the river was walled up under a brick vault.

Підземний Хрещатик (Underground Khreschatyk) is the underground course of the Khreshchatyk river, one of the tributaries of the historical Klov River. A strange part of this system is the Totleben Gallery which is from the early 19th century. It runs under the Arsenal factory which produced capacitors,and there were rumours among the workers that looters used a boat on the underground river and to steal capacitors from the plant. The highlight of this tour begins where Klov, Klovytsia and Khreshchatyk river meet underground and flow through a huge tunnel which was built in 1906 by V.V. Gorodetsky.

Вокзал-Лукьянівка (Lukianivka railway station) is the starting point for a weird urban explorer legend. They say that in the early 2000s they were exploring the tunnels of Skomorokh river, they climbed through a manhole and were in the basement of the US Embassy. In other words they crossed the border to the U.S.A. illegaly. As a result they were brought to the surface at gunpoint and handed over to the Ukrainian police, which finally released them.