The city of containers: Giant Ukrainian shopping mall that attracts 150,000 visitors every day
- - Seventh kilometre market is made up containers left over from bankrupt German
shipping company - - The market near Odessa, Ukraine, is one of Europe's largest open-air malls and
covers 170 hectares
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It is the size of a village and attracts up to 150,000 people a day but instead of the usual stalls or buildings, this market is built entirely out of containers.
The maze of former shipping-containers that could be Europe's largest open-air market covers 170 hectares and sells almost everything under the sun.
Traders in the market near Odessa in the Ukraine usually prohibit pictures being taken so photographer Andrew Alborno had to hire a bodyguard to escort him as he took these unique snaps.
Enormous: The 170 hectare market near Odessa, in the Ukraine, is built entirely out of shipping containers
Secretive: Up to 60,000 people work at the '7km' market but traders normally ban photographs being taken so Andrew Alborno had to hire a bodyguard for the project
Accident: The photographer visited the area in search of his grandfather's birthplace but stumbled across the market, which is barely known outside Ukraine
Unique: Mr Alborno said the unusual market attracts bus loads of visitors and said it was a 'mix of hell, a market and a village all in one'
According to estimates by Ukrainian paper Zerkalo Nedeli, the market turns over more than $20million of sales a day.
The market is so big it is divided into streets, named after colours and traders pay about $6,000 a month to rent one of the hundreds of containers.
Only about one third of those who work at the container city pay tax to trade and many items are counterfeit.
Faked Italian and European brands line the streets of Sedmoi, the 'seventh-kilometre market', or 7km as it is known.
Traders have been arriving at the crack of dawn each day since the market started in 1989 and they will barter with buyers until closing at 3pm.
Like the women's section of any other shopping centre special pink-painted container zone even specialises in ladies fashion and accessories.
French photographer Alborno travelled to the area trying to find the birthplace of his grandfather but instead he stumbled upon the one-of-a-kind market.
Container city: The market is so big that it is divided into streets named after colours and stalls specialising in womens wear are decorated in pink (right)
Variety: The container stalls sell almost any conceivable item and photographer Mr Alborno said many of the goods are counterfeit
Shopping heaven: A young woman browses container stalls selling everything from DVDs to sticky tape and footballs to toy prams and swords
Hard work: Traders arrive to the market, which opened in 1989, at the crack of dawn every day and pack up their stall at 3pm
'It is a huge open air private market full of goods and of Chinese sellers. Buyers come by bus from the surrounding regions and from Odessa.
'The goods here are very cheap and the containers come from a bankrupt German ship company.
'It's a mix of hell, a market and a village all in one.'
Some containers are two storeys high, with the ground floor used as the shop and the upper used for storage.
The market has its own way of life with tax inspectors and customs officials being frowned upon. Usually photographs are usually forbidden.
Touring the market was not straight forward though as traders can object to photos being taken.
Mr Alborno , 51, said: 'I was given a bodyguard from the owners when in the market because is not allowed to take pictures.
'Many guards that are employed privately stop people carrying cameras.'
Space efficient: The larger containers are two storeys high with the top deck used for storage while the shop in set up on the ground floor
Recycled: The hundreds of containers at the 7lm market were sourced from a bankrupt German ship company
Attraction: About 150,000 people visit the market every day and traders spend about $6,000 a month to rent a container
Huge: The market evolved from a smaller outdoor shopping area set up in the 1960s and now turns over more than $20million a day
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