Yanar Dag, the hill where natural eternal flames blaze, is a must-visit destination. There are only a handful of such natural wonders in the world, and missing the chance to experience this phenomenon while in Azerbaijan would be a missed opportunity for any true traveler. Fortunately, visiting the Burning Mountain (as Yanar Dag translates from Azerbaijani) is quite easy and affordable, especially compared to other fiery locations. The most accessible alternative might be Mount Chimaera in Turkey, located near Kemer, but reaching other similar sites can be quite challenging.
This remarkable site is located just 20 kilometers from Baku, specifically from the Old City, known as Icheri Sheher. If you’re heading directly to Yanar Dag, a taxi ride will take about half an hour. Don’t let the word “taxi” intimidate you; fares in Baku are quite reasonable. Alternatively, you can opt for public transportation, which will cost you very little. Simply take the metro to Koroglu station and then catch bus number 217, which departs every 13 minutes from 6:00 AM to 11:30 PM. The bus will take you directly to the Yanar Dag Reserve, with a travel time of around 40 minutes.
Don’t expect to witness a grand spectacle; it’s simply the earth burning. Neither rain, snow, nor the ever-present strong winds can extinguish this flame, which has been flickering for centuries.
The exact duration of Yanar Dag’s burning remains a mystery; estimates suggest it has been ablaze for at least a millennium, possibly even two. The time frame is somewhat vague, with a margin of error of about 500 to 600 years. Notably, the famed Venetian explorer Marco Polo described Yanar Dag during his travels from 1271 to 1275. However, the reason behind this phenomenon is well understood. The simplest explanation is that natural gas, abundant in the depths of Azerbaijan, seeps through fissures in the earth’s crust and ignited at some point in history. Perhaps it was a lightning strike, an unwitting local, or even an animal that sparked the flame. Whatever the cause, the gas caught fire and is expected to continue burning for many more centuries—though some pessimists argue that this “eternal flame” may soon extinguish.
During World War II, there was an attempt to douse the flames, as they served as a navigational marker for German aircraft. While the size of the burning area was temporarily reduced, the flames could not be extinguished. Today, the fire occupies a small patch of land, measuring about ten to twelve meters in length. Standing too close can be uncomfortable, as the heat is intense. However, the small size of the blaze does not diminish its uniqueness. In ancient times, the entire mountain burned, serving as a natural lighthouse for ships navigating the Caspian Sea. Can you imagine such a sight? A massive mountain engulfed in flames?
When Alexandre Dumas visited Baku in November 1858, he also took a look at Yanar Dag, although he wasn’t particularly impressed. However, he did visit the Ateshgah Fire Temple and described the surrounding area in vivid detail. His lengthy quote paints a picture of the landscape: “Imagine a plain almost a square mile in size, from which flames burst forth through a hundred irregular openings. The wind disperses them, bends them, straightens them, tilts them to the ground, carries them into the sky, and can never extinguish them.” Fast forward 170 years, and from those once countless eternal flames, only Yanar Dag remains. 🔥