Zoroastrizm is one of the oldest religions of the world. The founder of this religion was Zoroastr or Zardusht. His philosophy based on the idea of struggle between two eternal origins – good and evil. The symbol of the purity of thoughts and spiritual aspirations was a sacred fire. Hormuz (Ahuramazda) was embodying the Light, Good and Justice, but Ahriman (Anqra-Manyu) the darkness, evil and oppression. According to the religion in this struggle Good will win in the end and Hormuz’s active followers will be happy in the next world. Notions about happiness and also sin and kind deeds show that zoroastrizm was a mature religion. This religion was prevailing in Azerbaijan for a long time. Therefore the main zoroastr temples of fire-worshippers were built just here, in Baku. The French orientalist of the beginning of the XIX century, M. J. San-Marten noted: “From of old the city of Baku was esteemed as a sacred place not only by inhabitants but also by Persians in view of presence of numerous oil springs and free outlets of gas blazing with natural fire. In many places these eternal fires were being maintained by fire-worshippers creating a number of altars and temples. The city of Baku was turned into the place of worship to the fire by its rulers and homagers.”
The ancient people believed that a fire exterminates the filth and meanness and brings purity to the people.
A pagan temple of fire-worshippers – Atashgah was built at the place of burning outlets of natural gas in the south-east suburb of Suraxani settlement of Absheron peninsula at 30 kilometers from Baku. The word of Atashgah means a house of fire, a place of fire. The scientists consider that one can designate the date of its foundation as III-IV centuries A.D.
Atashgah is astonishing with its originality. You get to the courtyard through the small arc under the original tower. The temple-sanctuary with central rotunda-formed altar, which is open from all sides, is situated in the middle of the courtyard, flagged with stone slabs. An ever-burning torch is flaming inside it. All constructions of the temple, reminiscent the closed pentagon-formed caravanserai, consist of 26 cells and a room without windows, with 20 built-in inscriptions above the entrance: one of them is Persian and the rest are Hindu. A quadrangular pit for burning of bodies of the dead in the sacred fire, which is full of stones now, is also included in the construction. Simple belongings of hermits were gathered In the chapels and dwelling cells. The prayerful processions and sacrifice were held in this temple.
The fire - worshippers were burning everything that might hinder the victory of Good. The people were praying so that the fire defended them from enemies and ghosts. In their opinion the fire was the embodiment of life. “Have your fire gone out” was the worse damnation here.
Islam began to spread here and the temples of the fire - worshippers fell into decay In the VIII century A. D. after coming of the Arabians in the country of Fires.
Atashgah was revived only in the XVII-XVIII centuries, when the fire – worshippers from India, where the cult of fire still remained came to Azerbaijan through the Great Silk Way. There is an allusion of 1863 about Atashgah as a functioning temple of fire-worshippers. In 1855 with beginning of civilization the first factory was built here. The natural fires went out. Atashgah was functioning until 1880, and then it was left: the priest who was keeping the temple thought that God turned away from him, closed and left it. In 1975 after the restoration the temple was opened for visits as a branch office of the State History-Architecture Museum-Reserve and was called as the Complex of Shirvanshahlar Palace. This ancient monument is visited most of all and attracts special attention of tourists. As before the representatives of different religions visit here. The Moslems sacrifice, the Hindus and fire-worshippers pray.
Atashgah is a unique masterpiece, national property that gives an estimate about the followers of the ancient religion- zoroastrizm. A sacred fire is still burning in the temple Atashgah, driving away the darkness around the ground with its light.