Description
Program
⠀
- 1
Day
Duration is 4-5 hours.
Ateshgah
At the beginning of our era, the Zoroastrian temple was built on the territory of the village of Surakhani at the site of the release of flammable gases. After the conquest of Azerbaijan by Arabs and After the acceptance of Islam by the inhabitants of Azerbaijan, the fire temple of the Zoroastrians was partially destroyed. The Fire worship in Surakhani resumed in the 15th century due to cultural and economic ties with India. In the 17th century, sources note Hindu pilgrims who arrived in Baku to worship fire. Wealthy Indian merchants built structures around the ancient sanctuary. The earliest building of the temple dates back to 1713, surrounded by prayer rooms, cells, and a caravanserai.
Yanar Dag
Yanar Dag, or the "Burning Mountain," features eternal flames fueled by natural gas from a significant deposit. This flame is believed to have been burning since ancient times, with a fiery strip about 10 meters wide and one meter high, visible from a considerable distance in twilight.
In prehistoric times, the Avesta, written on parchment made from the skins of 24,000 cows, contained religious and extensive scientific-philosophical value. According to the Avesta, the primary god was Ahura Mazda, and fire represented him on Earth. Thus, Zoroastrians worshiped fire as a deity. Over time, places where eternal fire emanated became places of worship for Zoroastrians, and in Azerbaijan, Ateshgah and Yanar Dag are such sacred sites.