Ateshgah (Fire Temple)

The temple lies just east of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, making it easy to visit in one or two hours from there. Visitors can purchase tickets and short tours at the entrance and explore independently, or try longer private tours that visit other fire attractions, such as Yanar Dag, a high-powered natural gas fire on a hillside, or attractions along the Absheron Peninsula, such as the Bibi-Heybat Mosque and Gobustan National Park.

• Students and Azerbaijani citizens receive discounted admission.

• For a small fee, guided tours are available in Azerbaijani and other languages.

• Visitors are required to remain 3 feet (1 meter) from the flame.

• The temple complex has a restaurant serving Azerbaijani cuisine and a gift shop selling handicrafts from local artists.

The temple is on the eastern outskirts of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, about 30 minutes from the city center by car. Paid parking is available on-site. To get there on public transportation, take bus No. 184 from the Ulduz metro station to the Surakhani train station and walk about 5 minutes to the temple.

The temple is open daily, including on weekends and holidays. As international tourism is new to Azerbaijan, expect that public travel information may change. Early spring—before the Novruz festival celebrates the Persian New Year and the coming of spring—is a good time to see the flame burn.

Sadly, it isn’t possible to see Azerbaijan’s natural eternal flame at the Ateshgah Temple, which stopped burning in 1969. However, fire lit by gas pipes still burns along the dome of the temple’s four-story building—but not at all times. Tour groups can sometimes see the flames, but visitors that arrive on special occasions, such as holidays around the time of the Novruz festival, have a better chance.