Location
Chimera (or Yanartas in Turkish) is located on Mount Chimaera close to the
Olympos Valley and
Dalyan in western
Antalya .
History
The first mention of this volcanic phenomena appeared in the second book written
by Pliny the Elder called the “Historia Naturalis”, identifying the “Chimaera” and its ever burning flame stating the ancient
Lycian city of
Phaselis as being “on fire” and that it ...indeed burned with a flame that does not die by day or night . Strabo the Greek geographer, philosopher and historian also mentioned it in his writings. This is from where the origins of the
Chimera myth of a fire breathing monster made up of three different animals, a lion, a snake and a goat, that went on to be slain by Bellerophon.
Visiting Chimera Today
The
Chimera and other nearby fires are set over an area of 5,000m2 and are fuelled by gas emissions which have been burning for over 2,500 years and these gas secretions appear to change during the seasons and the vents and flames become more powerful during the winter months.
;)
