Azerbaijan, located within the South Caspian Sea
basin, is among the world's oldest oil producers. The petroleum industry
in Azerbaijan produces about 800,000 barrels of oil per day and 1
billion cubic meters of gas per year. There is so much oil and natural
gas reserve under the Absheron Peninsula that the ground practically
leaks all over.
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Throughout Azerbaijan, numerous fires have been burning since antiquity
and these were reported on by historical writers such as Marco Polo in
the 13th century, and later by the famed writer Alexandre Dumas, who
described a Zoroastrian fire temples built around a natural fire. This
phenomenon of spontaneous fire caused by gas seepage have given
Azerbaijan the moniker "Land of Fire." It also created a cult of fire
worshippers – the Zoroastrians, which first appeared in this region over
2,000 years ago before the Islamic rule came into effect. Numerous
references to fire can also be found in Azerbaijan’s folklore and
culture.
There are at least three places where one can observe Azerbaijan’s
famous fires.
Yanar Dag
Yanar Dag, which literally translates to "burning mountain", is a
natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside near Baku, the
capital of Azerbaijan. Flames jet out into the air 3 meters from a thin,
porous sandstone layer. Around this open fireplace the atmosphere is
filled with the smell of gas. The naturally occurring fire burns in
colorful flames most impressively at dusk, when both tourists and locals
can view it from nearby teashops. |
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Ateshgah of Baku
The Ateshgah of Baku near Baku, off the Greater Caucasus, is another
famous site of Azerbaijan’s eternal fires. Ateshgah means “temple of
fire”. This pentagonal complex, which has a courtyard surrounded by
cells for monks and a tetrapillar-altar in the middle, was built during
the 17th and 18th centuries. The fire was once fed by a vent from a
subterranean natural gas field located directly beneath the complex, but
heavy exploitation of the natural gas reserves in the area during Soviet
rule ended the flow of natural gas to the temple and extinguished the
holy fire in 1969.
The temple was converted into a museum soon after the fire went out.
Today, the fire that can seen here is fed by mains gas piped from Baku
city. |
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Yanar Bulag
Yanar Bulag or the "burning spring" is located to the city of Astara in
southern Azerbaijan. It consist of a metal stand pipe inside a small
pavilion through which water comes gurgling out. It looks nothing
unusual, but when you light a match and touch the water, the water
itself is set ablaze. This occurs due to the water’s high methane
content.
The locals believe the water from the spring has remedial properties,
and would often take a drink while the flame is alit. There are always
people at the spring who stop by to fill their bottles and carry on
their journeys. |
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