Azerbaijan is a country that is known as the “land of fire” because of its natural gas reserves that sometimes leak to the surface and ignite spontaneously. One of the most famous examples of this phenomenon is Yanar Dag, which means “burning mountain” in Azerbaijani. Yanar Dag is a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula, about 25 kilometers northeast of the capital city Baku, where a natural gas fire blazes continuously from a thin, porous sandstone layer. The flames can reach up to 3 meters high and cover a length of 15 meters along the base of the hill. The fire never stops, even in rain, snow or wind.

Yanar Dag has been burning for thousands of years and has fascinated and frightened travelers throughout history. Marco Polo wrote about the mysterious fires he saw in Azerbaijan in the 13th century. The fire also played a role in the ancient Zoroastrian religion, which worshiped fire as a link between humans and the supernatural spheres Today, Yanar Dag is a popular tourist attraction and a part of the State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve, which also includes a museum and a stone exhibition Yanar Dag is one of the few remaining fire mountains in the world and a unique natural wonder of Azerbaijan