Mount Chimaera

As Chimaira or Latinized Chimaera (Greek Χίμαιρα, Chimaira after the mythological fire-breathing chimera, original meaning of " the goat ", Turkish Yanartaş, " burning stone " ) is since antiquity a place in Asia Minor Lycia known where today a rare millennia- old natural phenomenon is observed: from the rocky bottom of a mountain slope to beat out flames in several places - the " eternal fires of chimera ".

Location

The Chimaira, and Hephaestion as Chimaira rather refers to the nearby mountain, is a place of worship of the nearby ancient Olympos and is located about 70 km southwest of Antalya near the village of Cirali in Turkey today. There are two fire boxes that are spaced apart about 1 km. Usually only the bottom fire box is visited. From Cirali Coming entrance fee is charged from Ulupınar of not, but this increase is ( to the upper fire box ) cumbersome. Both fire fields are at the Lycian Way.

History

Occupy ancient reports that the city of Olympos was Hephaestus famous for her cult. His sanctuary were located well here - archaeological evidence but were not found. The inscriptions on the today scattered sporadically between the flame -lying marble panels give to this, unfortunately, no evidence. But speak the remains of a small medieval church for the tradition of a cultic place.

The flames

The fire caused by gases released from cracks, crevices and small openings of a rocky slope. The composition can not be clearly determined - apparently it changes as well as quantity and exit points in the past centuries. According to tradition, the flames are said to have helped yet lit in ancient times widely across the sea and sailors in orientation. Today, 250 meters above the coast, about 2 km from the sea to see in a small clearing in a dense forest area only sporadically low flame. Every now and then they reach a height of 30 cm, sometimes they are hardly noticeable during the day. The height of the flames will also change by the respective air pressure.