Eternal Flame: How Azerbaijan became known as the 'Land of Fire'

'This fire has been burning for 4,000 years and never goes out,' says Aliyeva Rahila. 'Not even rain, snow, or wind can make it stop.'

In the distance, towering flames flicker and dance over a 10-meter stretch of hillside, adding to the already sweltering heat of the day.

This is Yanar Dag – 'burning mountainside' – located on Azerbaijan’s Absheron Peninsula, where Rahila serves as a tour guide.

A natural byproduct of the country’s abundant natural gas reserves, which sometimes seep to the surface, Yanar Dag is one of many spontaneous fires that have both intrigued and terrified visitors to Azerbaijan over the centuries.

Marco Polo, the Venetian explorer, wrote about the enigmatic phenomenon when he traveled through the region in the 13th century. Other merchants along the Silk Road also spread tales of the eternal flames as they journeyed to distant lands.

This is the reason the country is known as the 'Land of Fire.'

Ancient beliefs and traditions

While such fires were once widespread in Azerbaijan, they were largely extinguished due to their impact on underground gas pressure, which disrupted commercial gas extraction.

Yanar Dag stands as one of the last remaining natural fires and is arguably the most awe-inspiring example.

In ancient times, these fires played an important role in Zoroastrianism, a religion that originated in Iran and thrived in Azerbaijan during the first millennium BCE.

For followers of Zoroastrianism, fire is seen as a sacred bridge between humanity and the divine, a channel through which one can gain spiritual insight and wisdom. It is considered purifying, life-sustaining, and integral to their rituals.

Today, most visitors to the modest Yanar Dag visitor center come for the breathtaking display, rather than for any religious experience.

The flames are most mesmerizing at night or in winter. According to Rahila, when snow falls, the snowflakes evaporate in the air before they touch the ground.

While the Yanar Dag flames are often said to be ancient, some believe that this particular fire may have started as recently as the 1950s. Regardless, it’s a 30-minute drive north from Baku to reach it, and the visitor center offers only a small café with little else in the surrounding area.

Ateshgah Fire Temple

For a deeper understanding of Azerbaijan's fire worship traditions, visitors should travel east from Baku to the Ateshgah Fire Temple.

'Since ancient times, people believed their god resides here,' our guide explains as we enter the pentagonal temple complex, which was constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries by Indian immigrants in Baku.

Fire rituals at this sacred site trace back to the 10th century or earlier. The name Ateshgah is derived from the Persian words for 'home of fire,' and the focal point of the temple is an altar shrine with a cupola, built over a natural gas vent.

A natural, eternal flame once burned continuously on the central altar until 1969. Today, however, the fire is supplied by Baku's main gas line and is lit solely for the benefit of visitors.

The temple is linked to Zoroastrianism, but its historical significance as a Hindu place of worship is more thoroughly documented.

Merchants and ascetics

Designed like a caravanserai or an inn for travelers, the temple complex features a walled courtyard surrounded by 24 individual rooms and cells.

These rooms were used by a variety of individuals, including pilgrims, wandering merchants (whose contributions were crucial for the temple’s upkeep), and resident ascetics, some of whom underwent extreme practices like lying on caustic quicklime, wearing heavy chains, or holding an arm in one fixed position for years.

By the late 19th century, the temple ceased to function as a place of worship. This decline coincided with the rise of the oil industry in the region, which led to an increasing reverence for Mammon over spiritual devotion.

In 1975, the complex was transformed into a museum, earned a UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination in 1998, and now attracts around 15,000 visitors annually.