Chornobyl is situated 130 km north from Kiev.
The name of the city comes from words “chornyi” (black) and” byllia” (grass blades or stalks). It may be named after the Ukrainian name for the plant Mugwort. The reasons for naming city this way are unknown.
Chernobyl was a village of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 13th century, in Kievan territory that is now a part of Ukraine. In second half of 18th century, Chernobyl became one of the major centers of Hasidic Judaism.
In 1986 a terrible atomic energy disaster happened. If you would like to learn more about this tragedy, you can visit the Chornobyl Museum or go on a guided day trip to Chornobyl itself.