Yanartaş

From a distance, this rocky

landmass looks like any other mountain. But climb to the top, and you’ll realize this is no ordinary place.

Flames flicker from gaps in the side of the mountain. They’ve been burning for at least 2,500 years, fueled by methane seeping through the vents.

It’s said that in the past, sailors used the mountain as a sort of burning beacon, the blazes providing an easy-to-see landmark. In modern times, hikers use the ever-present fires to brew tea or toast marshmallows.

The mountain is also linked to the legend of the Chimera, as it’s believed the flaming landscape inspired the fiery monster in Homer’s Illiad. According to the myth, a beast with a lion’s head, goat’s body, and a snake as a tail lived on a mountain. The King of Lycia sent Bellerophon to the mountain to kill the monster. He rode his horse Pegasus there, and when the Chimera started to attack, he speared the creature.