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All Ukraine Kyiv Kachalka

Kachalka

Kyiv's answer to Muscle Beach is a Soviet-era gym made from scrap metal.

Kyiv, Ukraine

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Sam
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The gym.   Jorge Franganillo/cc by 2.0
The gym.   Jorge Franganillo/cc by 2.0
The gym.   Jorge Franganillo/cc by 2.0
The gym.   Jorge Franganillo/cc by 2.0
The gym.   Jorge Franganillo/cc by 2.0
  Johan SWE / Atlas Obscura User
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About

If cramming into an indoor gym using conventional weightlifting machines isn't your thing, perhaps try working out at Kachalka, whose machines are made from recycled tank chains and various other rusted scrap metal. 

In the early '70s, the Polish gymnast Kasimir Jagelsky and mathematics professor Yuri Kuk decided to create a collective, open-air gym from recycled metal. The scraps, salvaged from old factories and landfills, were ingeniously repurposed to create rowing machines, leg presses, dozens of bench presses, and more. 

The name Kachalka is derived from the Ukrainian word kachat, which means "to pump." Today, the gym remains popular with locals and visitors alike, and is open and free year-round. Enthusiasts maintain the gym, and continue to construct new equipment from whatever they can find.

Related Tags

Gyms Sports Recycling Soviet History

Know Before You Go

The gym is free to use and is open throughout the year.

Community Contributors

Added By

SamM

Edited By

Johan SWE

  • Johan SWE

Published

November 8, 2019

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Sources
  • https://www.spottedbylocals.com/kyiv/kachalka/
  • https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/kachalka-soviet-era-fitness-park-still-popular-in-kiev-ukraine-a-863216.html
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3QEGI0V0HE
  • https://abcnews.go.com/International/soviet-era-fitness-strong-kiev/story?id=17573065
Kachalka
Hydropark Sportmaydanchyk
Kyiv, 02000
Ukraine
50.449965, 30.575459
Get Directions

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