Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Places of Interest - Turkey

introduction

Hierapolis and Pamukkale are two impressive archaeological sites in the interior of the Western part of Turkey. Located next to the friendly real Turkish rural village Pamukkale these are two unique UNESCO sites with two totally different backgrounds. One is a natural sight - a wall of white lime - formations in which baths, holes and walls were created when hot mineral water seeped over the edge and the calcium settled against the rocks. It is also called the cotton castle or the white waterfall.

Hierapolis is the ancient Roman and later Byzantine city (now ruiins) in which, among other things, there is a beautiful theater, but also temples, Roman gates and a church. The highlight of many people is located in the center of this recreation town of the Romans - the pool where you can still take place. Bathing in this hot water well above ancient Roman stones and columns is a unique possibility.

highlights

Pamukkale:

The strongly calcareous water runs through a large number of terraces on a slope. Calcium carbonate precipitates from the hot water (35 °) and thick packages of lime are deposited along the terraces. In this way the slope gets a special view: it looks like a cotton castle or a frozen waterfall.

At the entrance to this path, the shoes have to be removed, and you have to stay on the path given the past in which the site was almost destroyed by people that were walking everywhere. Because the path is continuously under water, there is no longer wear of the white layer. The hotels and swimming pools built in the past have been removed and the site is once again pure nature; the natural phenomenon of Pamukkale (like Hierapolis) is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Hierapolis:

The old Roman tourist city or recreational city (now ruiins) consists of a main street with small branches in the center. A piece of the hill before you enter the "real" is the necropolis (cemetery) which is the main attraction as it is the best preserved from Roman times and extends over several kilometers.

This city of the dead counts 1200 graves of the most diverse grave types. Unfortunately, these have been severely damaged by the many earthquakes. The main street, the Frontinus street, is flanked by various columns and statues and starts with the gate of Domitian. Between this gate and the Byzantine gate spreads the agora - one of the largest ever -discovered.

The center consists of the beautiful pool where you can also bathe in - the hot spring is filled with ancient Roman columns and is truly a unique experience. A little further on is the old Roman theater which received about 12,000 visitors in its heyday. For the rest you can still view parts of temples, (city) walls and churches.

history

The city was founded by Eumenes II in the year 190 BC. Eumenes was the king of Pergamon and named her after Hiera, the wife of Telephus, founder of Pergamon. There lived a mix of farmers, Romans, Jews and the first Christians. In ancient times the city was mainly under Roman influence. The buildings in Hierapolis are mainly built in Roman style.

It was a Roman tourist place where people came from far to the thermal springs of the city. Hierapolis became a city focused on relaxation with a theater, a temple dedicated to Apollon, an arcade boulevard and a typical Roman market place (forum). But Hierapolis has never been able to fully develop due to the many earthquakes in the area. Under Byzantine influence the city has had a flowering period.

With the arrival of Christianity Hierapolis had a bishop's seat and a basilica was built and the famous Octagon, an octagonal church where Philip the Evangelist is buried. The area around Hierapolis was rich in good quality marble. This was an important source of income for the city. The marble was even used in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. After the severe earthquake of 1354 the city was completely destroyed and that was the end of its history.

tips & advice (2004)

Pamukkale does not have an otogar (bus station) so you will have to ask at the information center or in your hostel at which bus stop you should stand for you’re next destination. Most dolmuses (mini-vans) take you the 20 km in half an hour to Denizli where buses go to other (large) cities.

Pamukkale - Fetiye: there is a bus from Denizili to Fetiye at 10:00: the journey takes about 4 to 5 hours. Costs are around 4.50 euros.

Name: Aspawa guest house

Address: Menderes Caddesi

Price: 10,000,000 L (single)

Phone nr. : 272 2094

Email: aspawa@mail.koc.net.tr

Content:

Nice and cozy guesthouse within walking distance of the center (but still in a quiet street) and the big tourist sights. The room is fine and the food (not included) is served in a large dining room on the first floor with several tables.

TIP: there are several hostels and hotels with hot-spring pools.

Pamukkale was for me a highlight of my trip through Turkey; I did not expect so much after I had seen the climax of Ephesus in Roman ruins. There it was busy, a lot less here. After I had looked at the ruins you can enjoy the Roman baths that were unfortunately busy but still give you a "mystical" feeling - have you ever swum in a bath over Roman bricks?

Of course there is then the white wall of lime with beautiful baths - also a unique experience. Finally, the village is a real Turkish village where the red peppers still hang upside down on the porch to dry and women with headscarf (not religiously intended) do the laundry.

PAMUKKALE / HIERAPOLIS:

Entrance fee: 5,000,000 L
Swimming pool: 16,000,000 L (2 hours of swimming)
Safe: 2,000,000