Darvaz: "the gates of hell", Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a mysterious and closed country. Truly an oriental beauty, the country reluctantly shows its face, and in the inner world there is no way for everyone.

The government of Turkmenistan does not seek to show life to all around the state, it is sparse for the development of foreign policy relations, but tourism here is beginning to develop at an accelerated pace.

Turkmenistan is famous not only for its natural, fascinating views from the sands of the famous Karakum, but also its history and traditions. Researchers have shown that life on Earth began 3 million years ago. At present, the country has a population of 5.2 million.

Sights of Turkmenistan

To the sights of Turkmenistan are mainly the remains of ancient settlements and fortifications, medieval mosques, palaces of rulers. But modern buildings, especially in the capital - Ashgabat - are of historical value and possess the grandeur and beauty of finishing in the traditions of the East.

Wonders of the World: "gates of hell", Turkmenistan. Description

350 km from Ashgabat, in the place of Darvaz, and there is one of the wonders of the world - a fire crater, called "the gates of hell." Turkmenistan is the owner of this mystical phenomenon. Why mystical? Because every tourist who has visited the black sands of Karakum, where the "gates of hell" are located, Turkmenistan will remember for a long time and will no longer be able to doubt the existence of hell and paradise.

Imagine that in the middle of the sand kingdom of the Karakum Desert lies a crater with tongues of flame escaping from the throat! Sometimes they rise to a height of 10-15 meters. All this sinister picture is filled with the sounds of gas ripping out of the earth - than not the door to hell? This is not forgotten! "The Gates of Hell" Turkmenistan and its government have tried to fill up the earth, to make natural gas development active. But so far unsuccessfully.

And how was the "gateway to hell" formed? Turkmenistan does not make this a secret. This can be learned from many sources. It turns out that the mysterious place of Darvaz, or "the gates of hell," Turkmenistan discovered in 1971. There were drilling operations at a new natural gas field. Workers stumbled upon a vast underground cavity that extends deeper by several meters, which resulted in the destruction of drilling and all equipment. All this just fell into the ground. Workers miraculously did not suffer. And from the earth's hole went gas, which posed a danger to the workers, the local population, livestock and other representatives of the fauna.

Then a decision arose to ignite the gas until its complete combustion. But the fiery crater exists up to now, the gas reserves are so great that no one knows when they will end. This story has already become a legend, and hundreds of tourists come to the place to personally verify the existence of the door to the underworld.

Darvaz looks amazing, especially in the dark. Hundreds of flaming flames are visible from afar, and against the background of black sands are continuously burning torches of different sizes. You might think that you are in the world after the end of the world.

It is not safe to stay at the crater: high temperature, fumes of burning gas, difficulty in breathing - that's what it has in itself.

Not far from Darvaz there are two more craters of similar origin, but there is no fire in them. The bottom of one of them is covered with mud, endlessly bubbling under the influence of the outgoing gas, and the other has a bottom closed with a liquid of turquoise color.

Recently, the village of Darvaza has been resettled, but locals every year gather at the site of the former village, burn bonfires, cook pilaf and recall their lives in this place.