Yanartaş (burning stone) is the name given to the burning natural gas that emerges from three different points in the serpentinites located on the Southern slopes of the Yanar Dere Valley.

The most frequently visited vent is Yanartaş 2. In this located, on the Western bank of the seasonal Yanar Dere stream, there are perpetual flames along a slope of 80 metres, between elevations of 165 metres and 180 metres.

Our tour takes us past the two vents at the very top, three vents 30 metres below, twelve vents on a perpendicular route to the valley 18 metres below and two other vents 30 metres below. In total we will visit 19 perpetually flaming natural gas vents. Below the vents we find the ruins of an ancient church. Although the site has not yet been excavated,

It is thought that the church dates from the early Byzantine period (6th century A.D.) and was built upon the ruins of the temple of Hephaistos (the son of Zeus and Hera in Greek mythology. Hephaistos the smith was a god that had the skill to work any metal into beautiful objects – from Azra Erhat’s Mythology Dictionary). When the church site is excavated it is probable that the foundations of the temple will be revealed.