Eternal flames: mysterious fires that never go out -

Fire was crucial for the survival and thriving of our species. As humans, we value fire greatly for all the things we can do with it, from cooking to keeping warm.  For this reason, fire has also had a metaphysical presence in many cultures. From ancient scriptures, to religious rituals, fire is present as an important, quasi-sacred, element.

The thought of having an eternal source of fire seems like a odd concept, but indeed it is a real one. Spread throughout the world we can find a number of flames that never go out. These eternal fires burn for a number of reasons, with some having been created by nature, while others were accidentally created by us. Nonetheless, all these flames are fueled by natural resources, including gas, coal, and oil. 

In this gallery you'll find the most mysterious eternal flames on Earth. Click through and marvel at these eternal fires. 

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Yanartaş, Turkey - In Turkey, there is a fire that never goes out. Yanartaş, in the Olympos National Park, is a fire that has used natural gas to sustain itself for over 2500 years.

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Yanartaş, Turkey - For many years, the fire has been used for navigation. It is suspected to be the origin of the Chimera, a fire-breathing monster in Greek mythology.

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Eternal Flame Falls, United States - The Eternal Flame Falls can be found in Chestnut Ridge Park in western New York, United States.

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Eternal Flame Falls, United States - A flame fueled by natural gas burns continuously at the base of a waterfall. Scientists are still unsure about how it works.

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Guanziling, Taiwan - Not only can you relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery at Guanziling Hot Spring, but you can also marvel at its eternal flame.

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Guanziling, Taiwan -

It is estimated that Taiwan's "Water and Fire Cave" has been burning for over 300 years.

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Jwalamukhi Devi Temple, India - The origin of this eternal flame is attributed to a Hindu legend. A goddess is worshiped at the site.

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Baba Gurgur, Iraq -

Baba Gurgur means "Father of Fire." It is located in an oil field near Kirkuk in Iraq. Its eternal flame is estimated to have been burning for over 4000 years.

Some also believe that this eternal flame is the "fiery furnace" referred to in the Bible.

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Yanar Dag, Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan is known as the Land of Fire. This might be due to the numerous gas reserves in the country.

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Yanar Dag, Azerbaijan - These flames are said to have been burning for thousands of years.

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Mrapen, Indonesia - This eternal flame can be found in the island of Java in Indonesia. 

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Mrapen, Indonesia - Reports of this never-ending flame date back to the 15th century, and it is considered sacred. Every year, a religious ceremony takes place at Mrapen.

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Mount Wingen, Australia - Mount Wingen, commonly known as Burning Mountain, can be found near Wingen, New South Wales, Australia.

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Mount Wingen, Australia - The coal fire is estimated to have been burning for approximately 6000 years!

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Jharia, India - A number of coal mines have been burning in Jharia, India, for nearly a century. This is currently one of the largest coal mine fires in the world.

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Jharia, India - Workers risk their lives and put their health at risk trying to make a living collecting coal.

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Darvaza gas crater, Turkmenistan - The Darvaza gas crater is a fiery crater 20 m (65 ft) deep in the middle of the Karakum Desert. Due to the flames and the smell of sulfur, the crater is known as the Gate of Hell or the Door to Hell.

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Darvaza gas crater, Turkmenistan - In 1971, two Soviet geologists drilled the site to extract gas, but the ground gave way and formed the crater.

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Darvaza gas crater, Turkmenistan - In an attempt to stop poisonous gas from escaping, the Soviets set fire to the crater. The result is that, since then, the fire has never gone out.

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Centralia, United States -

A fire has been burning since the 1960s in this area of Pennsylvania.

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Centralia, United States -

In 1962, local sanitation workers began burning trash at a site over an old mine entrance by the town, igniting the honeycomb of underlying coal. The fire eventually spread to the town center.

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Centralia, United States - The fire burns at depths of up to 91 m (300 ft) and across 3,700 acres of land, creating huge holes in the ground big enough to swallow cars. The area is estimated to have enough coal to fuel the fire for another 250 years.

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Flaming Geyser State Park, United States - A gas pocket below the surface fuels an eternal flame in this Washington park. Some people have reported the flame as extinct, while others say that the Flaming Geyser is still occasionally lit up.  

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Erta Ale, Ethiopia -

This basaltic shield volcano has an active lava lake, which is extremely rare. This is also the world's longest-existing lava lake.

See also: Discover some of the world's most dangerous volcanoes

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