Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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A total of 104,929 tourists visited the Yanardag State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve in January-July 2026.

Of the total, 12,145 were Azerbaijani citizens, while 92,784 were foreign visitors. Tourists from India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Israel, China, Kazakhstan, Germany and Algeria accounted for the largest share of international visitors.

The State Tourism Agency said that 8,241 people visited the reserve free of charge during the first seven months of the year.

The Yanardag State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve is one of Azerbaijan's notable tourism attractions, known for its natural flames rising from the hillside due to the presence of underground natural gas. The site combines natural features with historical and cultural elements and is located on the Absheron Peninsula.

Its main attraction is a natural fire that burns continuously at the foot of a hillside, fueled by natural gas seeping through cracks in the earth. The flames can reach around 10 metres and are regarded as one of the rare remaining examples of a natural phenomenon that was once much more widespread across the Absheron Peninsula.

The site has a long association with Azerbaijan's historical tradition of fire worship. Natural flames in the region attracted travellers for centuries, and the famous Venetian traveller Marco Polo is said to have described the burning fires during his travels in the 13th century. The phenomenon also contributed to the region's reputation as the 'Land of Fire' and is often discussed in connection with the history of Zoroastrianism and other fire-worshipping traditions.

Yanardag is more than its famous flames. The reserve contains a range of natural and cultural heritage sites, including the 'Wolf's Den' caves associated with early communal societies, ancient cemeteries, medicinal sulphur springs, the active Girmaki mud volcano, the Alidashi sacred site, large natural rock formations, Girmaki Valley and an ancient burial mound. The territory also preserves trenches dating from 1918.

The area was declared a State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve in 2007. It subsequently underwent major restoration and redevelopment, with modern visitor infrastructure and a museum complex created to present the site's natural, historical and cultural significance. The renovated reserve was officially opened in June 2019.

Today, Yanardag is an important part of Azerbaijan's tourism landscape. Its combination of natural flames, ancient heritage and modern visitor facilities makes it a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists.

Free admission to the reserve and museums is available to certain categories of Azerbaijani citizens, including people with disabilities, young children and schoolchildren, war veterans, veterans of military operations and their first-degree family members, as well as first-degree family members of martyrs. Children under the age of 12 who are foreign citizens are also admitted free of charge.