Yanar Dag, Baku

Yanar Dag, Baku (Azerbaijan)

Burning Mountains or ‘Yanar Dag’ is located in Baku on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea. It is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea 25 KM northeast of the Baku city. The flames from the Yanardag jet out at least 3 meters into the air from a thin porous sandstone layer. The atmosphere is filled with the smell of gas as the fire never extinguishes. Local people come to take curative baths in these streams. Yanardag is 116 meter hill located on the top of natural gas pocket causing continuous flame eruption. This is the nature of this burning mountain. The reason given for continuous eruption of flames is that hydrocarbon gases are emanating from below the earth’s surface which causes the fire. From the sides Yanardag offers spectacular view for the spectators especially at nights.