The Darvaza gas crater also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell is a crater about 60 m in diameter and about 20 m deep. It is located in the central part of Turkmenistan, in the province of Akhal in the interior of the Karakum Desert.
In 1971, near the village of Darvaza in Turkmenistan, Soviet geologists discovered an accumulation of underground gas. As a result of excavation and drilling of an exploration well, geologists stumbled upon an underground cavity , because of which the earth collapsed and a large hole filled with gas was formed. The drilling rig with all the equipment and transport fell into the resulting hole, people were not injured in this incident. To prevent gases harmful to people and livestock from escaping, they decided to set them on fire. Geologists assumed that the fire would go out in a few days, but they were wrong. Since 1971, natural gas escaping from the crater has been continuously burning day and night.
The Darvaza gas crater has been burned for almost half a century. Since then it burns non-stop and provides an impressive show. There have been unsuccessful attempts to put out the fire.
Access : Coordinates: 40.2525, 58.4396 / The Darvaza gas crater is located 90 km from the Erbent village in the Dashoguz velayat, in the middle of the Karakum Desert, approximately 260 kilometers north of Ashgabat.
Highlights :
- The name “Gates of Hell” was first found by the locals. It was inspired by the fire, boiling mud as well as the orange flames of the large Derweze crater.
- The Karakum desert, which occupies 70% of the country or 350,000 km², is very rich in oil and natural gas.
- In 2013, Darvaza was included in the National Geographic list, when the famous traveler
- George Kourounis became the only person who sank to the bottom of the crater and was able to take samples for research.
Go next : Ashgabat , the capital and largest city of Turkmenistan , The city is located in the south of the country near the border with Iran at the intersection of old caravan routes in the Karakum desert.
