The temple is built on the site of a natural gas vent believed to have been sacred to the Zoroastrians since the 6th century AD. The Atashgah Temple, also known as the Temple of the Fire worshippers, has been a centre of worship for thousands of years. The area is so saturated with natural gas and oil that flames spontaneously erupt from the ground - hence the country's other name, Odlar Yourdu, or 'Land of Fires', and the name of the temple, which means 'home of fire'.
