Deep in the middle of a remote Turkmenistan desert, hundreds of miles away from civilization, there’s an unusual tourist attraction that’s been dubbed the “Gates of Hell.” And for a good reason: it’s a large crater in the ground ringed with fire like it’s a nightmarish portal to an infernal underworld.
The crater, about 190 feet in diameter and 70 feet deep, has been ablaze for more than fifty years. It’s difficult to reach, thanks to its remote location 160 miles from the country’s capital of Ashgabat. Yet, it’s popular with the small number of tourists who visit the country.
Despite the supernatural name, the “Gates of Hell” is actually a collapsed crater that once swallowed a gas drilling rig in 1971. Back then, geologists concerned about escaping natural gas decided to set it on fire. They expected the fire to burn off within a few weeks - but the blaze has lasted since then.
Now, Turkmenistan president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has had enough of the inferno and ordered the “Gates of Hell” to be closed. No witchcraft involved, though. Instead, he opted for science: Berdymukhamedov ordered the fire to be put out because of its ecological damage and hazard to the health of people living in nearby areas.
Image: Tormod Sandtorv/Wikipedia
