Azerbaijan: A Country of Fire and History

The Azerbaijan state emblem has a red flame in the middle. While you explore the city you will not miss seeing the main attraction, the Flame Towers, towering high and mightly. Azerbaijan and its history has a very close association with fire, and hence the nickname, “ Land of Fire”. Read to on to understand why. Try out a Baku tour packages with us!

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Azerbaijan – Ancient History

Azerbaijan was a mysterious place owing to many factors. Historically the people worshipped the elements of the earth like fire, water, air and earth. Flames often burst magically from the mountains and the seas. Zoroastrianism is one of the largest religions in the world. The Land of Fire is believed to be the birthplace of Zoroastrianism.

The early Zoroastrians revered fire. They believed it represented wisdom and purification. Ateshgah in Baku was the main religious place for Zoroastrians. Zoroastrianism remained the major religion of the country until the 10th-century. Currently, the major population of Zoroastrians lives in Northern India. Let’s make your dream journey with our Baku tour package.

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The Science Behind the Mysterious Flames in the Land of Fire

Azerbaijan has a huge reserve of natural gas and oil. Hige pressure causes underground gas to leak out through gaps in the ground. Imagine turning a gas knob on! Ignite the gas and you will see flames produced. The flames continue to burn as long as the gas flows.

This is the actual reason behind Azerbaijan’s magical flames in mountains and fire temples. The abundant supply of natural gas seeps to the surfaces and catches on fire. These flames burn till the gas supply is extinguished in these crevices. Sadly, the 20th-century Soviet exploitation caused most of the natural gas supply to diminish. The country is rightly called “The Land of fire”.

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Why is Azerbaijan called the Land of Fire?

Azer in Persian translates to Fire. The ancient name Aturpatakan in Persian means “ A places where the holy fire is protected”. Legend says the Prometheus after stealing the fire from the Gods went to the Caucasus mountains. The land got its name, mostly due to the eternal flames spread across Azerbaijan’s mountains throughout history.

Know about Modern Day Azerbaijan

There is a lot of significance to Fire in Azerbaijan history. The Azerbaijan culture revered and worshipped fire. Fire and Flame is a national symbol. The Ateshgah fire temple in Baku and the burning mountain, Yanar Dag are very famous sites. At Yanar Bulag, Astara you will be amazed to witness the spring water that burns when ignited. The Land of Fire has lived up to its reputation even in the 21st -century.

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All ready to pack your bags and visit the Land of Fire? We definitely are! Who doesn’t love a bit of mystery and magic in their life? You can check out our curated packages to take inspiration from! Pickyourtrail’s destination experts are just a click away. Do drop us a ping on Whatsapp to get connected and start planning your dream trip to Azerbaijan.

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