The name "Atashgah" is derived from the Persian language and means "House of Fire" or "Place of Fire." Today, recognized as a museum and one of the main tourist attractions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, this structure stands as a symbol of the profound connection between natural phenomena, history, and religion in this region. Due to its rich natural oil and gas resources, the Absheron Peninsula has long witnessed the phenomenon of "eternal flames"—fires that flared up from fissures in the earth without human intervention. This unique feature transformed the region into a sacred place for followers of various faiths, especially Zoroastrians. The current structure of the Atashgah is designed in the shape of a quadrangular fortress or caravanserai with a central courtyard. In its center stands the Chahar-Taq (four-arch) pavilion, which housed the main fire altar. Around the courtyard, cells (hujras) were built for pilgrims and the performance of religious ceremonies. Inscriptions in Persian, Sanskrit, and Gurmukhi (Punjabi) scripts are carved on the walls of these cells, confirming the presence of pilgrims from distant lands such as India.
The historical background of the Atashgah dates back to the Sassanid era (3rd to 7th centuries AD). Archaeological evidence and historical texts indicate that during the Sassanid period, Zoroastrian priests had established fire temples in this region, and the "Ka'ba-ye Zartosht" (at Naqsh-e Rostam) refers to Kartir, the renowned Sassanid priest, who founded fire temples throughout the Caucasus, including Albania (Caucasia) and Armenia.
Herodotus, the Greek historian of the 5th century BC, and Strabo, the geographer of the 1st century BC, referred to the phenomenon of unquenchable fires on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Strabo explicitly writes: "Near the shores of the Caspian Sea, there are places where the earth burns; fire continuously emerges from the soil." Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History, also referred to "fires that burn without being lit." In the Middle Ages, travelers and geographers such as Istakhri (10th century AD) and Marco Polo (13th century AD) spoke of the "land of Shirvan, where fires burn forever and people worship around them." However, the current structure of the Atashgah mostly belongs to the 17th to 19th centuries AD and is the result of the reconstruction and development of the building by the order of Indian merchants and pilgrims (Parsis and Sikhs) who frequented this sacred site at that time.
The architecture of the Atashgah is a reflection of extensive cultural and religious interactions in the region. The main structure is designed as a fortress-caravanserai with a rectangular plan and numerous cells around a central courtyard. The middle Chahar-Taq, situated on an octagonal platform, is a clear example of the ancient Zoroastrian architectural style and is reminiscent of the Chahar-Taqs of Niasar (Iran) and other Sassanid-era fire temples. This building was not just a Zoroastrian temple; in the 17th to 19th centuries, it also became a center of worship for Hindus and Sikhs.
The inscriptions existing on the walls of the cells include 14 inscriptions in Sanskrit and Gurmukhi (Indian) script, 2 inscriptions in Punjabi (Sikh), and one inscription in Persian. The content of one of the Persian inscriptions is as follows: "A fire arrayed like a row of torches / Jai Bhawani has reached Baku / It said, may the new year be blessed / The house was completed in the month of Shahrivar, in the year 1158." This inscription, which dates back to 1158 AH (corresponding to 1745 AD), confirms the presence of pilgrims from Isfahan and central regions of Iran at the Atashgah. Interestingly, this temple, which was sacred to Zoroastrians and Hindus, continued to exist during the period when the Safavid and later Qajar empires ruled over the Republic of Azerbaijan, witnessing extensive cultural and commercial exchanges between Iran, India, and the Caucasus.
The Atashgah of Baku is a prominent symbol of "cultural diplomacy based on shared heritage" in the ECO region. This unique structure demonstrates how a natural phenomenon (eternal flames) could bring followers of various religions and cultures (Iranian Zoroastrians, Indian Hindus, and Sikhs) together in one place and provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful coexistence. The Atashgah teaches us that cultural heritage is not a border, but a "bridge"—a bridge between Iran, the Caucasus, and the Indian subcontinent, which shows that regional convergence is rooted in the deep layers of shared history. Protecting and introducing the Atashgah (along with other fire temples in the region such as the fire temples of Isfahan, Yazd, and Mumbai) can provide a model for multinational cultural heritage projects and strengthen spiritual tourism in the region. The Atashgah reminds us that before modern borders, "fire" was a shared language for thousands of years among the nations of the region; a language that can still resonate in today's cultural policies of the ECO.