On 26 April 1986, a nuclear reactor accident occurred in power unit number 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. A hydrogen explosion, a fire and the spread of radioactive substances changed the area around the plant forever.

A trip to the closed zone had been a dream of mine. A dream so strong that you return to it after four years. What has changed in the zone over these years? What do the radiation levels look like? Has the new sarcophagus been built yet? Luckily, I found the answers to these questions.

Slavutych (Ukrainian: Славутич)

The first chapter of this story begins in the town of the power plant's workers, which was built after the accident. The town centre is an example of Socialist Realism. Moving away from it, you can notice that the architecture looks very distinctive in the various parts of the town. The districts were designed in keeping with one or another of the styles of the Soviet republics.

It is from this very place that an electric, extraterritorial train sets off, running through Belarus almost right up to the reactor. In the morning, quite a few people line up on one of the platforms, wanting to get to work at the plant. The journey takes about 50 minutes.

The railway line leads us through wild wetlands, forests, fields and rivers untouched by man. It also runs partly through the territory of Belarus. It also crosses a large steel bridge over the river Dnieper.

The train pulls into a metal hall made of corrugated sheeting. After that, all that awaits is a check of passports and passes. Usually you get through it smoothly. Walking down a long corridor, we reach the bus that will take us right up to power unit number 4 and the monument in memory of the Liquidators.

Beneath the sarcophagus

Work is under way. You can see the new sarcophagus building taking shape. The huge steel structure immediately catches the eye. When it is finished it will reach 108 metres in height and 260 metres in width. It really does look impressive and makes an impact. I recommend watching an animation of the new sarcophagus being built. Construction is scheduled to finish in 2015.

The grounds of the plant itself are fenced off. In front of the gate we registered radiation at a level of 2.57 µSv/h. Is that a lot or a little? Just take a look below at the diagram prepared by Krzysztof Wojciech Fornalski (the author is a doctoral student at the Institute of Nuclear Problems in Świerk).

And how is the old sarcophagus doing? It has held up for a really long time over all these years. The change you'll quickly notice is the new ventilation chimney on the roof of the sarcophagus. Soon the old chimney, familiar and recognisable to us all, will be dismantled. This is the last chance to see the building as we remember it.

It's time to visit the town of Chernobyl and Pripyat. But that's another chapter of this story.