Known As The Door To Hell, This Massive Hole Has Been Burning For Over 40 Years

Nicknamed the Door to Hell, or Darvaza Crater, in Turkmenistan has captured the attention of many due to its 225 foot wide and 98 foot deep fire hole.

You can find the “entrance to hell” in the middle of the Karakum Desert which takes up 70% of Turkmenistan.

No one is sure how the crater was formed, only that it has been burning since 1971. According to a few, Soviet geologists that were drilling in search for natural gas, created a massive burning hole.

The Door To Hell

Turkmenistan name means Black Sand in Turkic languages

Hole is located 168 miles from Ashgabat, the country’s capital

The team accidentally drilled into a cavern, and that is what created the massive sinkhole. Because they were worried that this gas would be poisonous, the geologists decided to light it on fire so it would burn out faster.

It’s been burning for over 40 years

The pungent smell of burning sulfur pervades the area for some distance.

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