Pamukkale, () meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish language, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The area is famous for a carbonate mineral left by the flowing of Hot spring water.
The ancient Greek city of Hierapolis was built on top of the travertine formation which is in total about long, wide and high. It can be seen from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli, 20 km away. This area has been drawing visitors to its thermal springs since the time of classical antiquity.
Geology
Pamukkale's terraces are made of
travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by mineral water from the hot springs.
In this area, there are 17
Hot spring with temperatures ranging from to . The water that emerges from the spring is transported to the head of the travertine terraces and deposits calcium carbonate on a section long covering an expanse of to . When the water, supersaturated with calcium carbonate, reaches the surface,
carbon dioxide de-gasses from it, and calcium carbonate is deposited. Calcium carbonate is deposited by the water as a soft
gel which eventually crystallizes into travertine.
Archaeology
There are only a few historical facts known about the origin of the city. No traces of the presence of
Hittites or
Persians have been found. The
built a temple, probably in the first half of the 7th century BC. This temple, originally used by the citizens of the nearby town of Laodicea, would later form the centre of
Hierapolis.
Hierapolis was founded as a thermal spa early in the 2nd century BC within the sphere of the
Seleucid Empire. Antiochus the Great sent 2,000
Judaism families to
Lydia and
Phrygia from
Babylon and
Mesopotamia, later joined by more from
Judea. The Jewish congregation grew in Hierapolis and has been estimated as high as 50,000 in 62 BC.
[Padfield.com. " Jewish Congregation in Hierapolis".] Hierapolis became a healing centre where doctors used the thermal springs as a treatment for their patients. The city began minting bronze coins in the 2nd century BC. These coins give the name
Hieropolis. It remains unclear whether this name referred to the original temple (ἱερόν,
hieron) or honoured Hiera, the wife of
Telephus, son of
Heracles and the Mysian princess
Auge. This name eventually changed into Hierapolis ("holy city").
In 133 BC, when
Attalus III died, he bequeathed his kingdom to Rome. Hierapolis thus became part of the Roman province of Asia. In AD 17, during the rule of Emperor
Tiberius, a major earthquake destroyed the city.
Through the influence of the Christian Apostle Paul, a church was founded here while he was at Ephesus.[.] The Christian Apostle Philip spent the last years of his life here.[Papias. Early Christian Writings .] The town's Martyrium was alleged to have been built upon the spot where Philip was crucifixion in AD 80. His daughters were also said to have acted as prophetesses in the region.[RAMSAY, Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia (Oxford, 1895–1897)] the Byzantine Empire Emperor Justinian I raised the bishop of Hierapolis to the rank of metropolitan in 531. The Roman baths were transformed to a Christian basilica. During the Byzantine period, the city continued to flourish and also remained an important centre for Christianity.
Museum
The museum contains historical artifacts from Hierapolis, as well as those from Laodiceia,
Colossae, Tripolis,
Attuda and other towns of the Lycos (Çürüksu) valley. The museum also has a section devoted to artifacts found at
Beycesultan Hüyük that includes examples of Bronze Age craft. Artifacts from the
Caria,
Pisidia and Lydia regions are also on display. The museum's exhibition space consists of three halls of the vaulted Hierapolis Bath buildings and the open-air areas in the eastern side which are known to have been used as the library and gymnasium. The artifacts in open exhibition space are mostly marble and stone.
Tourism and Conservation
Pamukkale is one of the most visited natural sites in Turkey, attracting more than two million visitors annually. Tourists can bathe in designated thermal pools, including the famous Cleopatra’s Pool, where ancient marble columns lie submerged. To protect the delicate travertine terraces, UNESCO and local authorities regulate the water flow and periodically close certain sections, allowing the formations to regenerate naturally. These efforts aim to preserve Pamukkale’s unique landscape for future generations while supporting the local economy through sustainable tourism.
World Heritage Site
Pamukkale is recognized as a World Heritage Site together with Hierapolis. Hierapolis-Pamukkale was made a World Heritage Site in 1988.
It is a tourist attraction because of this status and its natural beauty
Sister cities
The city of Pamukkale has two
Sister city:
Similar places
These locations are also well known for their travertine formations:
-
Badab-e Surt in Iran
-
Mammoth Hot Springs in the United States
-
Pink and White Terraces in New Zealand
-
Hierve el Agua in Mexico
-
Bagni San Filippo in Siena, Italy
-
Baishuitai in China
-
Tatev monastery in Armenia
-
Terme di Saturnia in Italy
-
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area in Sichuan, China
-
Kaklik Cave in Denizli, Turkey
Notes
Further reading
Turkey's mysterious portal to the underworld - BBC
External links
