"Gates of Hell": President of Turkmenistan wants to close this crater

They want to close the gates of hell in Darvaza 0:44

(CNN) -

 Not everyone is happy that the most internationally recognized site in Turkmenistan is called the "Gates of Hell."

Apparently, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov ordered the closure of the site, which is officially called Darvaza Crater after the city where it is located.

The crater formed in the early 1970s, when the ground collapsed during a Soviet gas drilling expedition.

Scientists allegedly set the huge hole on fire to prevent the spread of natural gas ... and it has been burning ever since.

Although the crater became a tourist attraction, Berdymukhamedov would have asked his cabinet to find a way to close the proverbial gates, according to the state newspaper Neytralny Turkmenistan.

Various reasons were given for extinguishing the famous fire: negative effects on the health of people living nearby, waste of valuable natural gas resources, and environmental damage.

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According to the newspaper, Turkmenistan's deputy prime minister "was instructed to bring together scientists. And, if necessary, to attract foreign consultants and find a solution to extinguish the fire."

Natural gas is one of the main sources of income for the Central Asian country.

At present, there is no known deadline for closing the Darvaza crater.

Not even to put out the fire.

Berdymukhamedov, president since 2006, is famous for his love of gold and marble architecture.

The autocratic leader has been on a building streak, primarily focusing on the capital of Ashgabat with giant new government buildings, monuments, and other architectural achievements.

One of the most notorious is a giant golden statue of a Turkmen sheepdog.

Precisely, Berdymukhamedov's favorite breed and one of the official symbols of the country.

The president loves dogs so much that he wrote a book about them, gave one as a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and even established a national holiday in their honor.

Tourism remains a relatively small industry in Turkmenistan.

The number of annual foreign visitors before the pandemic was estimated in the tens of thousands.

In 2006 a new and modern Ashgabat airport was opened, with a giant terminal shaped like a bird.

The project cost $ 2.3 billion and aimed to raise Turkmenistan's international profile.

According to the annual World Press Freedom index, compiled by the Reporters Without Borders group, Turkmenistan ranks 178 out of 180 countries in the world in media censorship.

Turkmenistan