Darvaza, Persian for Gate, is also known as the Gates to Hell or Door to Hell. The gas crater was created during a drilling of nature gas in 1971, the ground beneath the drilling collapsed leaving a large 70m hole. Soviet geologist decides to set it on fire in order to prevent the spread of methane, but the gas is still burning today. Darvaza is located in the middle of the Karakum desert, about 260km north of the capital, Ashgabat. #silkroad #turkmenistan #nature