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A tiny Turkmen village razed in 2002 by order of the President, Derweze is famous for its fiery crater, nicknamed the "Door to Hell." 

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It's hard to believe that a village of about 300 inhabitants, located in the heart of the <a href="/turkmenistan/">desert in Turkmenistan</a> is still present in this address selection! And yet it hasn't been usurped. First of all, for Derweze's unusual history, which saw the President of Turkmenistan decide to raze it in 2002 because it wasn't "aesthetically appropriate for tourists," leaving a virtually uninhabited ghost town. And then an even more unusual history, the presence of a crater here that was created in 1971 during a gas drilling failure, from which toxic gas was released. The solution should be simple: just let the gas burn off, except that forty years later, the 70 meter wide crater is still burning and provides for some surrealistic photos in the heart of the desert. It's an experience that I found absolutely unforgettable in Turkmenistan!

A tiny Turkmen village razed in 2002 by order of the President, Derweze is famous for its fiery crater, nicknamed the "Door to Hell."

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