Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Yanar Dag

Photo by Frokor from Wikimedia

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Yanar Dag

Yanar Dagh is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside of the Absheron Peninsula near Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. 

There is no trickling of mud or liquid, which distinguishes it from the nearby mud volcanoes of Lokbatan or Gobusta.

Its fire is never extinguished and the atmosphere around it is filled with the smell of gas. The locals believe that in the first millennium BCE, fire played a role as the link between humans and supernatural spheres.

Here are 10 Fascinating Facts about Yanar Dag

1. Yanar Dag has Burning Streams on the Surface

Photo by Chmee2 from Wikimedia

At the surface of streams near Yanar Dag fire can be ignited with a matchstick. These streams are known as Yanar Bulag or burning Springs and appear to be calm. There are several such springs near the Vilascay River, where the local people take curative baths.

Yanar Bulag is located in the city of Astara in southern Azerbaijan. It consists of a metal standpipe inside a small pavilion through which water comes gurgling out.

Although this is not unusual, when a lighter or another ignition source has touched the water, the liquid itself will be set ablaze. This unique and entertaining property of the water is due to its uniquely high methane content.

2. The Fire at Yanar Dag Burns Continuously

The Yanar Dag fire is never extinguished and around it is an open fireplace. The atmosphere is filled with the smell of gas with the flames emanating from vents in sandstone formations.

Due to the large concentration of natural gas under the Absheron Peninsula, natural flames burn throughout. This was reported on by historical writers such as Marco Polo.

This natural phenomenon was only noted when it was accidentally lit by a Shepherd in the 1950s.

3. Yanar Dag  is a Historical, Cultural, and Natural Reserve

Photo by Chimee2 from Wikimedia

 On 2nd May 2007, there was a presidential decree to protect this landmark and support tourism in the area and thus the Yanardagh State Historical, Cultural, and Natural Reserve were established.

The Reserve operates under the control of the State Tourism Agency which is located in the village of Mammadli, Absheron District. After major overhauls between 2017 and 2019, the Yanardagh Museum and Yanardagh Cromlech Stone Exhibition were launched within the territory of the reserve. 

The reserve covers an area of 64.55 hectares with an Amphitheater that holds 500 people for outdoor concerts. It also features a 3-zoned museum exhibition displaying ancient stones and pieces of craftsmanship used by locals. There are also tombstones, ancient kurgans, and two burial grounds with historic graves.

4. Learn More about Ancient Kurgans at Yanar Dag

Another main attraction at the Yanar Dag reserve that was established in 2007 is the ancient Kurgans. A kurgan is a type of tumulus constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons, and horses. 

Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into Central Asia, Eastern, Southeast, Western and Northern Europe during the 3rd millennium BC.

Kurgans were built in the Eneolithic, Bronze, Iron, and Antiquity with ancient traditions still active in Southern Siberia and Central Asia.

5. Yanar Dag Fire Played a role in the Zoroastrian Religion

Photo by Ymblanter from Wikimedia

 In the first millennium BCE, the fire at the Yanar Dag played a role in the Zoroastrian religion, as the link between humans and the supernatural spheres.

Zoroastrianism was founded more than 3,000 years ago. It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions still in existence, predating Christianity and Islam by many centuries.

The prophet Zoroaster, also known as Zarathustra, is revered as the founder of the faith. It became dominant in Persia before Arab Muslims conquered the region in the 7th century.

6. Its Flames Rise to 10 Meters High

The Yanar Dag fire is never extinguished. There’s an open fireplace where the atmosphere is filled with the smell of gas. The flames emanate from vents in sandstone formations and rise to a height of 10 meters or 33 ft. at the base of a 10-meter wide scarp below a hillside.

Yanar Dag is described by the Geological Survey of Azerbaijan as having “Intensive flames, to 1 meter high, develop for 15 meters along the base of a 2 to 4metres high and 200metres long tectonic scarp.

The surface flames result from the steady gas emissions from underlying soils.

7. Visit the Yanar dag Cromlech Stone Exhibition

Photo by Qolcomaq from Wikimedia

After a major overhaul between 2017 and 2019, the Yanar dag Museum and Yanar dag Cromlech Stone Exhibition were launched in the area of the Reserve.

A Cromlech is a circle made of stones arranged vertically, often around a tomb or place of worship. Cromlechs were erected in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

Most Cromlech stones were found most often in the areas of England and Ireland but also spread to other regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

8. Yanar Dag is not a Volcano

 Unlike mud volcanoes, the Yanar Dag flame burns fairly steadily. it involves a steady trickle of gas from the subsurface. 

It is claimed that the Yanar Dag flame was only noted when accidentally lit by a shepherd in the 1950s. There is no trickling of mud or liquid, which distinguishes it from the nearby mud volcanoes of Lokbatan or Gobustan.

A mud volcano or mud dome is a landform created by the eruption of mud or slurries, water, and gases. Mud Volcanoes are formed out of several geological processes. They are not true igneous volcanoes as they do not produce lava and are not necessarily driven by magmatic activity.

9. Yanar Dag Museum of Fire is a Tourist Attraction

Photo by Chimee2 from Wikimedia

The circular shape is designed from the start as a narrative structure that above all builds up a journey of discovery.

Discovery of the surrounding landscape, crossing the topography and allowing you to continuously explore the horizons towards the sea and the city from inside the museum to arrive at its inner landscape, the sacred fire of Yanar dag. 

 The architecture of this ring makes it visible and presents the site on a larger scale as if the fire Yanardag was boosted by a new force.

10. Marco Polo visited the Yanar Dag

Flames have been burning on this peninsular since the times of Marco Polo. He observed the fires on his visit to the peninsula in the 13th Century.

Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant, explorer, and writer who traveled through Asia along the Silk Road. His travels are recorded in The travels of Marco Polo and are also known as the Book of the marvels of the World.