This is the “Gate of Hell”, the burning hole in the middle of the desert for 50 years that they cannot extinguish.

Like a macabre postcard, a An impressive fire pit burning in the middle of the desert From Turkmenistan, a small country in Central Asia.

The well in question has Its diameter is 70 meters and its depth is about 30 metresIts flame has been stubbornly burning for more than 50 years, despite concern and attempts to extinguish it.

Hot winds, desert sands and perpetual flames earned it its name “Hell's Gate”Although neither Satan nor any other metaphysical being has anything to do with his existence.

There are several versions about the origin of the Darvaza WellThis is its name for the locals. The most famous one suggests that in 1971, a Soviet drilling operation for gas caused a disaster The soil will collapse due to the weight of the drilling machines. This is how the gap will be created. This version, which is the most popular, has not been confirmed by the Russian government.

Then, to stop the emission of methane gas that could affect the residents of the area, Geologists thought it was a good idea to start a fire. They believed that within days there would be no more gas to use as fuel and then the fires would go out.

But the days turned into weeks, months and years. Today, more than five decades later, the fire is still alive Hell's Gate has become a tourist attraction -Especially at night- for the hundreds of curious people who come to this “fire amphitheater” every year to feel this hellish atmosphere and make stories for their social networks.

In 2019, it was the same The country's president, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, whose video went viral Of himself driving a rally car near the famous desert gap.

We must put out the fire: eternal burning and wasted resources

Concerned by the waste of resources and the environmental impact of five decades of combustion, in 2022, The President urged his government and Turkmen scholars To do what is necessary to extinguish the fire.

“we Loss of valuable natural resources from which we can obtain important benefits And use it to improve the well-being of our people.”

However, the problem cannot be solved with a tanker truck. Experts have considered alternatives. For example, Cover the hole with soil or extinguishing agent. This does not seem like a viable solution. Those who entered the well confirm that natural gas will find its way to the surface and any spark will ignite it again.

“Even if the fire had to be extinguished and covered, AndThere is a possibility that the gas will continue to rise to the surface “In this case, all it takes is a spark to ignite it again,” George Koronis, who was the first person to reach the bottom of the well, said in November 2013.

Another possibility would be Cutting off underground methane supplies Through a massive, massive explosion that would close all the rock cracks. But the supply from the hole is 500 meters deep, so this is an extreme and very expensive option.

In the meantime, The big stove continues to burn in the middle of the desert It continues with the paradoxical list of tourist sites that were “born” thanks to human incompetence.