BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 2. Work has begun to
inscribe the Ateshgah Temple on the UNESCO World Heritage List,
Trend reports.
The State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan has started preparations
in this regard.
The nomination document will be prepared.
Currently, the Ateshgah Temple is listed on the UNESCO tentative
list. Azerbaijan has five sites on the World Heritage List and ten
sites on the tentative list.
The Ateshgah Temple is located on the Absheron peninsula, in the
Surakhani district, near Surakhani settlement. Throughout its
history, the temple has served as a place of worship for
Zoroastrians, Hindus, and Sikhs. It was constructed in the
17th-18th centuries at the site of eternal flames—natural gas
outlets—which is why the temple is named “Ateshgah”, meaning “House
of Fire”.
By a decree of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, an open-air
museum was established around the complex, and it was declared a
State Historical and Architectural Reserve. On average, it attracts
about 145,000 visitors each year.
In 1998, Ateshgah was included in the list of candidates for the
UNESCO World Heritage List.
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