Darvaza Crater: Discover the place that has been burning non-stop for over 50 years

Have you heard of the Darvaza Crater?

Today's content will be a trip to one of the most mysterious places in the world and which gives rise to several types of theories: the Darvaza Crater.

Have you heard of the place – which is, in a way, touristy? Do you know what the Darvaza Crater is? Here you will find out!

Throughout the text, you will explore this place with us, understand how such an unusual place came about and how this crater is famous for continuing to burn for almost half a decade.

Let's go?

What is Darvaza Crater?

Imagine the following situation: a crater with a diameter of 70m and a depth of 30m located in the middle of an almost desert region and which, for almost 50 years, has been burning non-stop.

It seems like something from another world, but we are talking about a place that exists here on Earth and is called Darvaza Crater.

Located in northern Turkmenistan, in the Ahal province of Central Asia, the Darvaza Crater is a tourist attraction known for its flames that have been burning continuously since 1971.

In other words: we are talking about a crater that has been constantly burning for more than 50 years. 

During this period, the world has undergone several changes – the end of the Vietnam War, part of the Cold War, the emergence of several types of technologies, September 11, the Iraq War, the evolution of the Internet, among others – and, throughout this time, the crater has continued to burn. Curious, right? 

It may even seem like something supernatural, but such an event has an explanation.

The origin of the Darvaza Crater

I know what you must be thinking: after all, how did a crater with such peculiar characteristics appear?

The truth is that the explanation is simpler than you think.

In the early 1970s, a group of Soviet geologists were conducting expeditions in search of oil.

And it was during one of these trips that, after an accident that resulted in a crater in the ground, they came across a massive reserve of natural gas.

The opening of this crater brought a problem that they had not anticipated: the large amounts of methane gas that began to be released into the atmosphere.

In addition to the negative effects caused to the atmosphere – which such a large amount of gas could cause in our atmosphere – this 'leak' also damaged several villages that existed in the vicinity of the area where the crater appeared.

As a result, those responsible for the expedition began to fear an increase in the release of gases and, consequently, a worsening of the gas situation.

This led scientists to opt for a somewhat risky decision, but one that, until then, would be the best option: they set fire to the crater to burn the methane gas that was coming out of it.

At first, this may not seem like the best option, since the other would be the continuous release of unimaginable quantities into the atmosphere.

It turns out that after setting the crater on fire, expectations were that the fire produced in the crater would only last a few days. Needless to say, these calculations were a little off, right?

The fire, which was initially supposed to last only a few days, continued to burn for weeks, months and years. And now, in 2021, the crater celebrated its 50th anniversary. And, until then, the crater continues to burn steadily and strongly.

Tourism at the 'Gateway to Hell'

Despite its other, quite popular name – 'Gate to Hell', given by the local population – not being at all inviting, the tourism generated by the spot is relatively large. 

Tourists from all over the world travel to the tourist spot to witness such an event which, despite being a little scary, is, at the same time, quite fascinating.

Despite being a unique experience, many claim that the odor released by the crater can be felt even from long distances, which may bother some more sensitive or unsuspecting tourists.

Will the Darvaza Crater go out at some point? 

Although half a century has passed since the crater collapsed and emerged, it is still not possible to say for sure when – or even if – the crater's gas – and, consequently, the fire within it – will go out. 

What was discovered after the collapse is that the area where the crater is located is an unimaginable source of gases, making it impossible to predict how the crater will continue to behave.

The future of Darvaza Crater

If you're curious about visiting the 'Gateway to Hell', you might want to hurry. That's because the place's days may be numbered.

Recently, new news about the Darvaza Crater promises to change the future of the 'Gateway to Hell'.

And the person responsible for the new direction of the place is Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the president of Turkmenistan.

According to recent reports, the president has reportedly appealed to his office to take steps to close the site.

It is believed that this request was motivated by factors such as: the health of the population living near the point and the environmental damage caused by the emission of gas produced by the crater.

To do this, it will be necessary to carefully evaluate all possibilities so that the site can be closed safely and without causing other side effects.

Despite the buzz and speculation about the future of the Darvaza Crater, there is still no estimate of when – or even if – the closing of the 'Door to Hell' will happen.

Only the future will tell whether Turkmenistan's most famous tourist attraction will come to an end or continue to burn for a while longer.

Conclusion

So, are you interested in visiting the 'Gateway to Hell' or is this type of tourism too extreme for you? I bet this has made you at least curious.

As unique as it may be, the effects of the gases emitted can be very harmful to our health. So, think carefully before scheduling your visit to the 'Gateway to Hell'.

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