The Palace of Culture was a typical structure of the Eastern bloc. A building was dedicated to sports, education and culture. The huge buildings were central point for people to enjoy all kinds of recreational activities in Pripyat. Pripyat (1km from the reactor) was designed as an exemplar of Soviet planning for the 50,000 people who worked at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant till 1986. But the result of soviet planning was the worst nuclear accident in history. Now Pripyat is in a radioactive exclusion zone unfit for human habitation. It must have been a beautiful place before the accident.
credit: Timm Suess