In 1890 quarrying of labradorite, gabbro and grey granite began here. For a hundred years the quarry was one of the largest enterprises in the town.
After the Soviet collapse, production stopped. The quarry was flooded by groundwater.
And it turned out the flooded industrial pit looks better than the working one.
General Information
| What? | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Korostyshiv Quarry (canyon) |
| Address | city of Korostyshiv, Zhytomyrska oblast, 0.6 miles (1 km) from centre, along highway E40/M06 |
| Coordinates | 50°19′05″N, 29°03′56″E |
| Distance from Zhytomyr | ~19 miles (~30 km) |
| Distance from Kyiv | ~62 miles (~100 km) |
| Year extraction began | 1890 |
| Rock extracted | labradorite, gabbro, grey granite |
| Depth | ~50 ft (~15 m) officially; locally up to 66 ft (20 m) |
| Entry | free |
Labradorite and Why the Colour Changes
The quarry extracted not ordinary granite but labradorite — a dark igneous rock with a blue-green iridescent shimmer (labradorescence). Residue of this mineral on the walls and floor creates the water’s special colour.
The director of the local museum, Volodymyr Slivinsky, explains: “The water changes colour with the season. It looks different in spring, summer and autumn. It is clearest in autumn.”
Clay mounds on the banks intensify the turquoise tint at certain angles — and that is where the best photographs are taken.
A Film Location
Over 130 years the quarry has preserved a unique relief: vertical cliffs, ledges, lagoons among rock masses. Films have been shot here. Nearby — a second, smaller quarry, about 0.6 miles (1 km) away, ten times smaller but equally photogenic.
Water and Safety
From May to September the district public health laboratory takes regular water samples. Latest results: within norms. But the quarry is not a beach — rocky banks, only two gently sloping entry points. Deep water is sharply colder.
Practical Information
- Entry: free
- From Zhytomyr: ~19 miles (~30 km) via E40
- From Kyiv: ~62 miles (~100 km) via E40
- Time on site: 1–2 hours
Conclusion
130 years of extraction. Then abandoned. Then it flooded.
The water changes colour every season. Clearest in autumn.
Films were shot here. Divers descended. Locals fish quietly.
The canyon stands 0.6 miles from the town centre and is going nowhere.
