Pamukale

Pamukkale is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains. This ferric landscape and the richness of the Roman and Christian architecture made of Hierapolis is a very interesting place to visit. The marvelous terraces of chalk, formed by the deposit of water containing calcium and oxide, are something unique shining under the sun. These terraces give the city its name “cotton castle”. The mineral loaded water created through centuries the cotton like rocks. On approaching this incredible succession of terraces, one discovers the existence of basins full of mineral water which flow into other natural basins below, and are the source of stupendous mineral conglomerations in the form of fantastic stalactites, sometimes of considerable size gild resembling organ pipes. The various terraces enclose warm-water wells and the main spring emerges from what was used to be the center of the ancient city Hierapolis. The water dripping over the plateaus comes in several degrees and several colors (depending on the minerals present).

However, as is to be expected, the area fell victim to serious decline both because of locals extracting water from the plateaus and the many visitors bathing in the wells. The Turkish government made a firm decision that nature's well-being is supposed to come first and a lot of basins are closed to the public nowadays as well as a lot of hotels in the direct vicinity of the plateaus.They are today protected by a UNESCO program.

The ancient city was strung out on either side of a long colonnaded street called the Plateia. Measuring 13 meters in width, this street ran north and south from the southern gateway to the Arch of Domitian in the north. It is paved with huge blocks of limestone. The first structure one encounters on reaching the plateau is the city baths, which are in a very good state of preservation. The baths are Roman from the 2nd century AD. In the eastern part of the baths is a palestra (athletic rooms for wrestling) measuring 36.13 by 52.25 meters. Immediately to the north and south of the palestra are two big rooms that were reserved for the emperor and ceremonial use. A large hall stretches the length of the western side of the palestra and this was the gymnasium used by athletes. This salon led into the frigidarium from which one proceeded to the barrel-vaulted rooms of the caldarium. A small room adjacent to the large hall now serves as a museum in which works discovered in the Hierapolis excavations are on display. Since Hierapolis was principally a luxury resort town it was richly adorned with magnificent sculptures.

The well preserved theater of Hierapolis commands a magnificent view of the plain below. The original theater was located above the northern gate, but when the city was rebuilt during the reign of the Flavian emperors (60 AD.) the theater was relocated here, and the seats from the old structure were used in the work. During the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 AD) the theater's skenea was modified and richly decorated with relief. In 532 it was discovered that the skenea had been weakened by age and the almost daily seismic activity that takes place here and had to be reinforced. Since the theater has been restored, it is now possible to see the friezes of mythological scenes depicting Apollo and Artemis in their original positions. Thirty rows of the seats of this theater resting against the slope have survived. Originally there were 20 rows in the lower part and 25 in the upper separated by a diazepam. The theater was divided by eight aisles. Passing through the city walls above the theater you can see the Martyrion of St Philip. This is an octagonal building erected on a square measuring 20 by 20 meters. It was built in the early 5th century. Even in its present state of ruin it is an impressive structure.

Northeast of the street between the Byzantine and Domitian gates was the agora of ancient Hierapolis. If you follow the road in the direction of the necropolis you pass by the imposing walls of a building originally erected as baths around the end of the 2nd century AD. It was converted to a church in the 5th century. The huge necropolis of Hierapolis, largest ancient graveyard in Anatolia with more than 1200 tombs, spreads out on either side of the road for a distance of two kilometers. It contains tumuli, sarcophagi, and house-shaped tombs that range in date from the late Hellenistic period to early Christian times. It is one of the most extensive and best preserved ancient cemeteries in Anatolia.