What is it? Why is it worth seeing?
One of the most unusual and mysterious places on the planet is located not far from the Turkish village of Çiralı. Chimera Yanartaş, the eternal flames on a rocky mountainside above Çiralı near Olympos.
Dozens of fiery torches rise into the sky on one of its slopes. From time to time, the torches change their intensity and location. In ancient times, their height was almost 2 meters, and ships sailing along the coast of Turkey used them as lighthouses. Today, tourists from all over the world flock to the top of an unique mountain looking for romance and adventure.
Of course, there have been legends and myths around such an unusual place since ancient times. People tried to explain the appearance of lights on the slopes of the mountain. The most famous is the legend of the burning mountain is outlined in Homer's Iliad. The poem tells us about the monster Chimera with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a snake's tail. It was one of the offspring of a legendary pairing: Typhon and Echidna. It also had an evil disposition.
The monster terrorized the population of Lycia and the local ruler sent Bellerophon to slay the monster. The quick-witted hero flew up to the Chimera on his winged horse Pegasus and shot at the Chimera with a bow. The monster hid inside the mountain. Since then, the monster can only spit flame on the surface of the mountain.
According to another legend says the forges of the fire god Hephaestus were located here. In ancient times, his temple towered at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain itself was sacred.
However, if in ancient times mystical fires were attributed to a fire-breathing monster buried in the mountain, the modern people have found a scientific explanation for an unusual natural phenomenon. Inside the fiery Mountain Chimera lies natural gas methane with an admixture of substances that ignite when interacting with oxygen. Due to the porous rock, gas comes out of its depths and contacts with the air, so it accordingly forms flames.
Who will like it?
Everyone who is interested in ancient myths and those who want to see a mountain engulfed in flames. An unforgettable experience!
How to get there?
It is about 40 km from the hotel to the foot of the mountain, and it is better to go there by car. There is free parking there. Then you have to climb up the rocky path. You will have to be ready for your trip: you will need comfortable clothes, shoes, water, and flashlights in the dark.