Eternal flame

Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin eternal flame memorializing losses during World War II.

An eternal flame is a flame, lamp or torch that burns for an indefinite time. Most eternal flames are ignited and tended intentionally. However, some are natural phenomena caused by natural gas leaks, peat fires and coal seam fires, all of which can be initially ignited by lightning, piezoelectricity or human activity, some of which have burned for hundreds or thousands of years.

In ancient times, eternal flames were fueled by wood or olive oil;[citation needed] modern examples usually use a piped supply of propane or natural gas. Human-created eternal flames most often commemorate a person or event of national significance, serve as a symbol of an enduring nature such as a religious belief, or a reminder of commitment to a common goal, such as diplomacy.

Religious and cultural significance

A chancel lamp hangs above the altar of St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church

The eternal fire is a long-standing tradition in many cultures and religions. In ancient Iran the atar was tended by a dedicated priest and represented the concept of "divine sparks" or Amesha Spenta, as understood in Zoroastrianism. Period sources indicate that three "great fires" existed in the Achaemenid era of Persian history, which are collectively considered the earliest reference to the practice of creating ever-burning community fires.

The eternal flame was a component of the Jewish religious rituals performed in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple in Jerusalem, where a commandment required a fire to burn continuously upon the Outer Altar. Modern Judaism continues a similar tradition by having a sanctuary lamp, the ner tamid, always lit above the ark in the synagogue. After World War II, such flames gained further meaning, as a reminder of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. Judaism has a concept of a נר תמיד or everlasting flame. This is commonly found hanging in front of the Aron Kodesh (holy ark) in orthodox Synagogues. It is meant as a remembrance of the Temple. Occasionally this flame is a fire which is kept lit 24/7. Other times it is merely electric and stays on all the time.[citation needed]

In traditional Christian denominations, such as Catholicism and Lutheranism, a chancel lamp continuously burns as an indication of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The Cherokee Nation maintained a fire at the seat of government until ousted by the Indian Removal Act in 1830. At that time, embers from the last great council fire were carried west to the nation's new home in the Oklahoma Territory. The flame, maintained in Oklahoma, was carried back to the last seat of the Cherokee government at Red Clay State Park in south-eastern Tennessee, to the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee, North Carolina, and to the Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

In China, it has at times been common to establish an eternally lit lamp as a visible aspect of ancestor veneration; it is set in front of a spirit tablet on the family's ancestral altar.

Extinguished artificial flames

In practice, artificial eternal flames do not burn indefinitely. The realities of infrastructure maintenance, vandalism, ongoing operating costs, weather, and environmental concerns have frequently resulted in the flames being extinguished.

To preserve the continuity of the symbol during necessary maintenance, the physical flame is sometimes transferred to a portable source while the main burner is shut down. Additionally, many modern monuments rely on automated electronic spark igniters to instantly relight the flame if it is accidentally extinguished by severe weather.

Permanently extinguished artificial flames

Prismatically broken eternal flame at World War II memorial in East Berlin

Current man-made eternal flames

Europe

Belarus

  • Minsk, at the Victory Square, lit in 1961.
  • Baranovichi, at the memorial of the fallen during the Great Patriotic War, lit in 1964.
  • Brest, near the ruins of the Engineering Administration, lit in 1972.

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Eternal Flame in Sarajevo

Bulgaria

Croatia

France

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with eternal flame beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

Germany

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

The eternal flame at Brothers' Cemetery, Riga, Latvia
  • Riga, at Brothers' Cemetery or Cemetery of the Brethren (Brāļu Kapi), a military cemetery and national monument memorializing thousands of Latvian soldiers who were killed between 1915 and 1920 in World War I and the Latvian War of Independence. The memorial was built between 1924 and 1936, and designed by sculptor Kārlis Zāle.

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

  • Floriana, inaugurated in 2012. Two eternal flames are placed beside the War Memorial, dedicated to all the Maltese dead of World War I and World War II.

Moldova

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Russia

Eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Moscow

Serbia

Spain

Switzerland

Transnistria

Ukraine

Eternal Flame in Vinnytsia

United Kingdom

  • London, at the New Scotland Yard. The flame commemorates, as the inscription notes, "those who have lost their lives in the service of the Metropolitan Police".
  • Liverpool, at the Anfield stadium, in memorial to those who died in the Hillsborough disaster.
  • The 'Peace flame' in Derry, at the 'Peace Garden', to symbolise the renewed hope and peace created in the city in the post-Troubles era. Opened in 2013 by Martin Luther King III. The flame was extinguished during 2017-2018 by a group of vandals. The flame has since been re-lit.

North America

Canada

  • The Flame of Hope in London, Ontario, at 442 Adelaide Street, where Frederick Banting did theoretical work leading to the discovery of human insulin. It will remain lit until diabetes is cured. It was lit by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1989.
  • The Centennial Flame in Ottawa, Ontario, first lit in 1967, is in the spirit of an eternal flame; however, it is annually extinguished for cleaning and then relit. It commemorates the first hundred years of Canadian Confederation.
  • The Centennial Flame on the grounds of the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton, Alberta commemorates the same milestone as its counterpart in Ottawa. The flame burns from a metallic cauldron and is located south along the walkway from the south entrance of the Legislature between the south side of Legislature Building Road NW and Fortway Drive NW. Another eternal flame is located on the grounds of the Legislature honours those fallen in the line of duty working for the province.
  • The Eternal Flame in the Peace Garden in Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto City Hall. It was lit by Pope John Paul II in September 1984 and symbolizes the hope and regeneration of humanity.
  • The Eternal Flame of Hope, tribute to disabled people on Pecaut Square in Toronto.

United States

  • Alabama: Huntsville in honor of those who made great sacrifices to serve their country.
  • California: Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, where the Peace Flame directly taken from the torch at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan is kept. The flame was brought to Los Angeles in 1989 by Mayor Tom Bradley and has been maintained by the resident priests ever since. University of California, Santa Barbara, houses an eternal flame on its campus in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Auburn, on the corner of Fulweiler St. and Nevada St. depicts a soldier carrying a fallen comrade. The statue is named "Why". Redlands, in Jennie Davis Park (corner of Redlands Blvd. and New York St.), at the Veterans' Memorial. La Mirada, in front of City Hall to honor the residents who have given their life for their country. Pico Rivera, in front of the civic center, to honor Pico Rivera veterans who died in the line of duty.
  • Connecticut: New Britain, at the National Iwo Jima Memorial to honor the memory of US servicemen who gave their lives at Iwo Jima.
  • Florida: Jacksonville, at the Veterans Memorial Wall there is an eternal flame to honor those who served. Miami, at Bayfront Park on Biscayne Boulevard, is the Torch of Friendship for John F. Kennedy
  • Georgia: Decatur, at the square downtown, for the Korean War, World War II, and the Vietnam War; Macon, at the City Hall building, to honor Macon-born war veterans; Monroe, at the Monroe Historic Courthouse, to honor Walton County veterans; Savannah at the Chatham County Courthouse dedicated to the "Glory of God" and honors veterans, specifically Captain Willie O. Sasser, U.S. Air Force; Atlanta, at the King Center, for assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Hawaii: Honolulu, to honor victims of the September 11 attacks.
  • Illinois: Chicago, at Daley Plaza, to honor those who perished in World War II, ignited August 22, 1972, by Albina Nance, president of the Illinois Gold Star Mothers. Highland Park, in the Freedom's Sacrifice veterans memorial located on the corner of St. John Ave and Central Avenue to remember the soldiers from Highland Park that gave their lives in the name of freedom. Naperville, on the city's Riverwalk to honor victims of September 11 attacks. Loves Park, in Holdridge Park on North Second Street to honor all veterans.
Eternal flame war memorial in Bowman, South Carolina

Mexico

Nicaragua

National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Argentina

South America

The Pira da Liberdade, Brazilian eternal flame, in São Paulo
The Pantheon of Fatherland and Freedom, Tancredo Neves, in Brasília

Argentina

  • In the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. It was lit on August 17, 1947 to honor the tomb of General José de San Martín, whose remains rest inside it; and the soldiers who fought and perished in the wars for Argentina, Chile and Perú's independence from the Spanish crown.
  • In the National Flag Memorial (Argentina) in Rosario, Santa Fe.
  • In the 'Monument to the dead of the Malvinas War' (Caidos en Malvinas) in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires.

Brazil

  • In the Independence Park, São Paulo, the Pira da Liberdade marks the site of the independence of Brazil
  • Outside the Pantheon of Fatherland and Freedom, Tancredo Neves, Brasília, on top of a tower built on the diagonal, burns an eternal flame which represents the freedom of the people and the country's independence.
  • In São Sepé, central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Boqueirão Ranch has a shed that houses a fire that has been lit since the shed was built in 1800. The Simões Pires family, in its sixth generation, currently maintains the bonfire still lit today.

Chile

Colombia

Venezuela

Australia and New Zealand

Eternal flame at the Shrine of Remembrance, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Asia

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Eternal Flame (Shikha Chironton)

China

Georgia

  • Tbilisi, at the roundabout and underpass of Hero's Square.

India

Raj Ghat, Delhi

Indonesia

  • Api Abadi Mrapen (Mrapen Eternal Fire), Grobogan, Central Java. It was used as a torch flame source for the 1st GANEFO. It died out on the 25th of September 2020, possibly as a result of nearby mining activity.
  • Api Abadi Sungai Siring (Siring River Eternal Fire), Samarinda, East Borneo.
Kayangan Api, an eternal flame in the middle of teak forest in Bojonegoro

Iran

Zoroastrian Eternal Flame at the Fire Temple in Yazd, Central Iran

Israel

Japan

Peace Flame at the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, Japan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek eternal flame

Nepal

Philippines

An eternal flame is featured on the New Design/BSP series Philippine 1000-peso bill.

South Korea

Turkmenistan

Africa

Kenya

Ghana

  • Accra, Ghana: The Eternal Flame of African Liberation.

Zimbabwe

South Africa

Caribbean

Trinidad and Tobago

Cuba

Naturally fueled flames

Fueled by natural gas

Fires of Chimera at Yanartaş, Çıralı, Turkey
Eternal Flame Falls in Chestnut Ridge Park in Western New York, US
The Darvaza gas crater, near Derweze, Turkmenistan, has been burning since 1971.
Tour guide cooks pancakes on natural flames at Murchison, New Zealand.
Api Biru or "Blue Lava" as seen at night on Kawah Ijen, in Indonesia

Fueled by coal seams

See also

References

  1. ↑ mondial, UNESCO Centre du patrimoine. "Takht-e Sulaiman". UNESCO Centre du patrimoine mondial.
  2. ↑ Leviticus 6:12: "And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings" Biblos Cross-referenced Holy Bible (King James version)
  3. ↑ Hall, Ashley (2012). "Sanctuary lamp". Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  4. 1 2 From the First Rising Sun: The Real Prehistory of the Cherokee People and Nation According to Oral Traditions, Legends, and Myths. Charla Jean Morris. Author House, Bloomington, IN: 2011. Page xvii.
  5. ↑ "Settling the Dead: Funerals, Memorials, and Beliefs Concerning the Afterlife". Asia for Educators, Columbia University. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Peace flame in Londonderry is plagued by technical problems". BBC. December 11, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Man extinguishes Eternal Flame in Melbourne". ABC. May 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "'Eternal' Flame Runs Up Massive Gas Bill". NPR. January 13, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Eternal flame snuffed out in gas bill row". ABC. March 19, 2004. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  10. ↑ Crockford, Toby (May 26, 2012). "'Drunken' man extinguishes eternal flame in Brisbane's Anzac Square". ABC. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Leister, Eric (May 22, 2019). "How the JFK eternal flame persists even amid inclement weather". AccuWeather. Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  12. ↑ Multinet Gas Networks (June 12, 2016). "Melbourne's Eternal Flame burning brighter than ever following dedicated overhaul". Retrieved September 26, 2026.
  13. ↑ Larson, Jennifer Lynn (2001). Greek Nymphs: Myth, Cult, Lore. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-19-514465-9.
  14. ↑ Pajón Leyra, Irene (2023). "Islands and their marvels as structural principle in the so-called historiographical section of the De mirabilibus auscultationibus". In Stefan Schorn, Robert Mayhew (ed.). Historiography and Mythography in the Aristotelian Mirabilia. Rutgers University Studies in Classical Humanities. Taylor & Francis. p. 133. doi:10.4324/9781003437819-2. ISBN 9781000986105.
  15. ↑ Bosworth, A. B.; Baynham, Elizabeth (2002). Alexander the Great in Fact and Fiction. Oxford University Press. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-19-925275-6.
  16. ↑ "Vayikra (Leviticus): Chapter 6". Jewish Virtual Library.
  17. ↑ "Lighting the Perpetual Flame of Brigid - A brief history of the flame". www.kildare.ie.
  18. ↑ "Kildare Round Tower and St. Brigid's Fire Temple". September 8, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Apagan la "Llama Eterna de la Libertad" encendida por Pinochet". ABC Color (in Spanish). October 19, 2004. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Merenkulkijoiden ja mereen menehtyneiden muistomerkki". Julkiset veistokset (in Finnish). Helsingin kaupungin taidemuseo. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  21. ↑ Eklund, Ville: Muistomerkin "ikuinen tuli" sammuili jatkuvasti tuulenpuuskiin Helsingissä – kaupunki sammutti tulen: "Ei ole ollut vuosiin ikuinen", MTV Uutiset 3 November 2018. Accessed on 9 January 2021.
  22. ↑ "The Eternal Flame". old.brest-fortress.by. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Pazardzhik became a home of peace" (in Bulgarian). PZ. September 24, 2023. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  24. ↑ R., A. (July 12, 2017). "U Sisku ugašen vječni plamen na spomeniku palim braniteljima". Index.hr.
  25. ↑ Huzjak, Ivica (October 29, 2019). "Ugašen vječni plamen nad spomenikom poginulim hrvatskim braniteljima u Sisku".
  26. ↑ "Eternal flame will honour the war dead in Floriana". Times of Malta. January 4, 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012.
  27. ↑ Eternal fire at Mamayev Kurgan Archived May 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine – photo
  28. ↑ Eternal fire at The Square of the Fallen Fighters in Volgograd Archived December 3, 2023, at the Wayback Machine – photo
  29. ↑ "El Ayuntamiento de Madrid instala un pebetero en Cibeles en recuerdo de las víctimas del coronavirus: "Vuestra llama nunca se apagará en nuestro corazón"". Hazte socio de eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  30. ↑ Wallace, Ellen (December 22, 2012). "Eternal flame in Canton Glarus may go out". Geneva Lunch. Retrieved December 22, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  31. ↑ Krummenacher, Jörg (December 22, 2012). "Keine Versöhnung vor dem ewigen Licht". Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  32. ↑ "Derry's children united to light flame of peace". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. May 15, 2013. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Mayor urges vandals to respect city peace flame". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. May 11, 2018. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Time capsule in place, eternal flame lit as second phase of the Veterans Memorial unveiled". AL.com. Advance Local Media LLC. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  35. ↑ "Eternal Flame: Daley Plaza, Chicago, Illinois, 60601". Chicagoarchitecture.info. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  36. ↑ Tribune, ADDELYN WACHTER Grand Haven (November 11, 2024). "Honoring veterans with eternal flame". Grand Haven Tribune. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  37. ↑ "POW/MIA Reflection Pond and Eternal Flame". Ovmp.org. Ohio Veterans Memorial Park. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  38. ↑ Glenn D. Porter (August 31, 2004). "Eternal Flame Is Out, But Who Cares?". Philly.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Família mantém aceso fogo de chão em fazenda há 200 anos no RS" (in Brazilian Portuguese). G1. September 15, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Ministerio de Defensa pagará el gas de la llama de la libertad". Emol (in Spanish). El Mercurio. October 8, 2003. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Punta Arenas apaga la última Llama de la Libertad que ardía durante todo el año". Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  42. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (January 21, 2022). "Amar Jawan Jyoti merged with flame at National War Memorial". The Hindu. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  43. ↑ 6 Tempat Wisata Melihat Api Abadi di Indonesia, 5 October 2020. Accessed on 4 February 2021.
  44. ↑ The Extinguishing Of The Mrapen Eternal Flame, 2 October 2020. Accessed on 23 March 2023.
  45. ↑ Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (2000). "Guided Tours to Peace Memorial Park and Vicinity". Hiroshima Peace Site. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  46. ↑ Nihonsankei. "Miyajima". The three most scenic spots in Japan. Archived from the original on December 15, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  47. ↑ Hernández, Javier C.; Ueno, Hisako (May 21, 2026). "Fire Destroys Sacred Buddhist Hall in Japan that Housed 'Eternal Flame'". The New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  48. ↑ "Things to do in Lumbini". BBC. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
  49. ↑ "The Red House". Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  50. ↑ Hosgormez, H.; Etiope, G.; Yalçin, M. N. (November 2008). "New evidence for a mixed inorganic and organic origin of the Olympic Chimaera fire (Turkey): a large onshore seepage of abiogenic gas". Geofluids. 8 (4): 263–273. doi:10.1111/j.1468-8123.2008.00226.x.
  51. ↑ "The Extinguishing Of The Mrapen Eternal Flame". VOI - Waktunya Merevolusi Pemberitaan. October 2, 2020. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  52. ↑ "Obor SEA Games XXVI Mulai Diarak dari Mrapen" (in Indonesian). Tempo Interaktif. October 23, 2011. Archived from the original on October 27, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  53. ↑ Krajick, Kevin (May 2005). "Fire in the hole". Smithsonian Magazine: 54ff. Retrieved October 24, 2006.