Never fading fire: Yanartash

If you enjoy visiting interesting places, we welcome you to Yanartash. This fire has been burning for centuries. It is known that the fire for the Olympic torch was first taken from here. The name, legends, and mysteries associated with Yanartash arouse great interest, and everyone wants to know how it formed and whether it has been burning since then.

Burning for 2500 years

This everlasting fire is located 55 kilometers from the center of Antalya province. Yanartash is quite close to the village of Chirali in Kemer, within the Olympos-Beydaghlari National Park, on the back beach of Chirali. This fire, which is a source of natural gas, has been burning continuously for 2500 years on top of a hill 230 meters high. It originated from the release of methane between the rocks. However, the exact place of origin is still unknown. This is because the temperature between the rocks is not high enough to form methane. Scientists have made great efforts to understand this phenomenon and have concluded that the burning of this fire is caused by a natural gas leak. It has also been found to form when methane meets the element ruthenium.

Tourists' great interest

Every year, many people come to observe this natural fire. The location of Yanartash also has a beautiful view... So many people come here to see this landscape!

Yanartash, one of the most attractive places for tourists among locals and foreigners, is also known for its legends. The legends associated with Yanartash are of great interest. Homer claims in his texts that the burning fire here is considered sacred. One of the legends told by Homer about Bellerophon goes like this:

Once, the son of the king of Ephira, Hipponoes, went hunting with his brother Belleros. During the hunt, he accidentally killed his brother. He fled the country because of his guilt and found refuge with the king of Tiphina. The wife of this king, unable to bear Hipponoes's rejection, accused him of treachery and complained to the king. Learning of this, the king told his stepfather, Lobates, who was also the king of Lycia, about what had happened. Lobates ordered Hipponoes to be killed by the monster named Chimera, from whose mouth flames erupted, consisting of a goat, a snake, and a lion.

The sunset here is magnificent

Local residents gave this place the name "Yanar" because of its durability. Over time, this name became "Yanartash". Another name for it is the "Eternal Flame". We recommend visiting it especially at sunset. However, it's better to bring a flashlight because the road is dark. You can reach this place from Kemer in about 1 hour. After driving to the entrance by car, you can climb up a steep slope in about 40 minutes.

Also, during your visit to Yanartash, it's worth paying attention to the Temple of Hephaestus, which is very close to this area.

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