PAMUKKALE, TURKEY – ABOUT PAMUKKALE

Hierapolis – Pamukkale, Things to do in pamukkale

This article about Pamukkale: In the shadows of the clouds and a great share of natural beauty, The White Heaven Pamukkale has always been the centre of interest with its unique curative springs and cultural heritage since the ancient times.

In the antiquity, espacially healing waters were the main reason to be settled, and for this reason to be settled, and for this reason the city of Hierapolis was established by the Romans and spectetular buildings of that period were built. The city sometimes tells a story of a beautiful girl or great wars of ambitious Gods. Pamukkale has a noble manner related to the myths, and a stunning beauty with its healing waters and unique travertines in addition to its gorgeous architecture. You will take a trip to the ages in each page of this volume in which you can experience the beauty and the taste of those myths.

Ancient pool Pamukkale

Views of Visitors

“Everyone who visits Pamukkale should enter the Ancient Pool. We entered the pool together with our friends and we were absolutaly amazed. When you go into the water you feel amazingly relaxed.

Furthermore, you can also do this event in winter because of the high temperature of the water. We learn that this pool is very benefical for human health. I will consider Pamukkale again in my further holiday plans. Thanks a lot.” – James Sparvick

“My wife and I had a very tiring year but Pamukkale absorbed all our exhaustion. Now we have come to the end of our journey but both of us are sad because Pamukkale is a place which birngs you freshness. When we go back, will share our memories and the beauty of the Pamukkale with our friends. The people who live here are very lucy because they live so close to a natural wonder like Pamukkale.” – Mandy Persons

About Pamukkale

A brief view to Pamukkale

Temple of Apollon

Temple of Apollon is settled on Plutonion which is known as an old and spirital cave. This place is the oldest spiritual centre where Apollon met the goddess Kybele. The ruins of top layer of the Temple are believed to have been there since the 3rd century but the base ruins are thought to be older till the late Hellenistic Age. The 70 meters temple is in a sacred land and it is also surrounded by Temenos Wall which is recognised with the marble entrance stairs. Temenos Wall leans a portico on its South, West and North sides. There are many beautiful grooved pillards. Although it is aged to a very old period, but the two ionic corinthian caps and some architectural pieces indicate an older temple ruins there.

Ancient Theatre

Building the theatre started in 62AD and went on for 144 years. There are 50 rows of seats which are divived into 7 parts with 8 stairs. On the embossed friezes you can see many scenes in which the mythology shows itself. For example, the birth of Apollon and Artemis, sacred rituals, recreation, the music contest between Marsyas and Apollon, wars between Gods and goliaths.

Walls

The ruin is surrounded with walls in north, south and east. They are 2.50 meters tick and not very strong. In accordance of land it covers Roman city and has 24 barbican that was built on strategic points, average 80 meters range.

Necropol

Outside of the walls and the valley there are many necropolis areas in all directions. Limestone and marble are used in graves. Marble is mostly used in sarcophagii. There are thousands of graves in Necropolis.

The Myths

Each trip is beyond the imagination in the Land of Myths Pamukkale. In Hierapolis all arts of God are exhibited and the natural beauty surrounded the land with healing waters. With all these characteristics, Pamukkale has been told in many legends.

Ancient Pool and Cleopatra

Ages ago, Queen Cleopatra that known with her beauty had noticed that she had been losing her beauty time to time. From start of this she had began to find remedy and had ordered her soldiers to find and bring a healing water for regaining her beauty. The troops have spreaded over varius geographies to look for the magic water that can make the Queen more beautifull. One of the group of troop was visited Pamukkale, Turkey and had brought a sample from the water of white heaven to the Queen. When she had washed her face, she had immediately recognised that wrinkles on her face had disappearing slowly. Afterwards she had visited Pamukkale and she dropped herself in to the hot water of the pool. About Pamukkale….

Cleaopatra had ordered her soldiers to find healing water for regaining her beauty. The troops from Pamukkale had brought the water to the Queen.

Ancient Pool

Health

The healing that comes from Ancient Pool

The Ancient Pool is one of the major signs of Pamukkale that attracts millions of People to visit here. The main reason of this interest is Ancient Pool’s benefits for health. Actually, the water has very major effect on many kinds of illness, for example, heart disease, arteriosclerosis, blood pressure, the rheumatism, apoplexy and derm/eye diseases. When you drink it, it heals stomach cramps.

For this reasons, there has always been spa centers around the pool since the Roman period and especially Archaic age Hierapolis has became a health center. About Pamukkale..

About Pamukkale

Today, with its special features Ancient Pool is a healing source and unique wonder that visited by millions of people all over the world. One of the most important speciality of Ancient Pool is it’s water which is in the same tempereture every season. That is why everyone can go into the pool for four seasons.

Ancient Pool – Dearness of Pamukkale

Besides travertines and ancient ruins, Ancient Pool has attracted millions of domestic and foreign tourist because of its benefits for health since the Roman period. According to the myth, Cleopatra owes her beauty to this miraculous and unique pool which has been very precious for each civilization since the Roman Empire. How not? Researches show that the Ancient Pool has very significant features that very few of its equals share the same. The pool occured after an earthquake in A.C. 7th century and it fed by a water resource that contains many kinds of minerals. It is also benefical for the ilnesses with its 35°C temperature that equals to the body temperature. The reason why it is named as ‘Holy City’ is the healing Ancient Pool.

About Pamukkale

The 1 km long Ancient Avenue divides the Ancient City Hierapolis into two parts. This avenue is the most important part of the Ancient City Hierapolis because of the columnar open sheds and important public buildings which stands here. On both edges there are monumental gates in the form of triumphal arch which are belted and both have towers. One of those is the entrance to the city and is named Frontinus Gate that composes the monumental gate is settled in the beginning of the avenue. South Roman Gate, faces to the hill that descends to river of Lykos and it is opposite of the Honaz mountain. This gate has a spectacular view especially when the sun sets. North Byzantium Gate was included to rampart system in the period of Theodosius consisting the monumental gate in Byzantium Period. South Byzantium Gate was built in the 5th century with the converted material that includes blocks of travertines and marble. It is also reclininig to tetragon planned towers and formed by mitigation belt that settled on a peace of Architrave.

The paths of History

The footsteps of nobles and citizens can be heard in this precious avenue of Hierapolis. With the existence of the Agora that was built between the slope of the hill and the avenue, Frontinus Road has lived its golden age. The Caracalla Fountain which was settled on the beginning of the avenue has became an auspiciousness of merchants who visited the Agora by time.

An Important Trade Center

After the earthquake in the 60 AD, the avenue was ravaged but it regained its historical importance after had been reconstructed. After the excavation on the Avenue and the northern slope of the hill, the Hierapolis Trade Agora was discovered. Existence of Agora which surrounded by columns verifies that the city has a rich shopping center of its age.

Laodikeia: The Land of the Kings

Astonishing city, Laodikeia has been carrying the great and imperial treasures of centuries. It is settled on the North of Denizli (6km) in the valley of Lycus which is known as Çürüksu today.

The city has got its name from Antiokhos’s wife Laodikeia. Its geographical location, natural beauty, fertile lands and the intersection of main trade roads made it a very important trade center of this region. But after the earthquake, it has became hidden underground. Today, the church, theatre, stadium, the basilica, the temple, the main street with columns and monumental sructures have been brought into the open which testify the city’s magnifcent history that lives underground.

It has traces of the disappeared centuries-old civilations on its walls. Laodikeia is a great mirror that displays the face of history.

The majestic city

With its magnificent structure, and the historical ruins of the city take the visitors to an imaginary past.

The symbol of the Holy City

Hierapolis was accepted as a Holy city both in Pagan and Christian periods. The reason for this is the crucifixion of St Philippe who came here to effuse the Christianity that one of the apostle of Jesus. In the AD 4th century when the Christianity was accepted as a formal religion, people established a martyrium which has a octagon form used as a healing centre spiritually and religiously. In the center of the building that covered with marble, there is the tomb of St Philippe.

It is outside of the Byzantium walls and reached by the stairs. With 20 meters above diameter of the octagonal section is covered with lead-clad dome.

Traces of Belief

When St Philippe, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ was killed here, Hiearapolis was accepted as a Holy City by the Christians, therefore it became a city that have been visiting by millions of Christians.

The symbol of the Holy City: St. Philippe Martyrium

Hierapolis was accepted as a Holy city both in Pagan and Christian periods.

The reason for this is the crucifixion of St Philippe who came here to effuse the Christianity that one of the apostle of Jesus. In the AD 4th century when the Christianity was accepted as a formal religion people established a martyrium which has a octagon form used as healing centre spiritually and religiously.

In the center of the building that covered with marble, there is the tomb of St Philippe.

It is outside Byzantium walls and reached by stairs. With 20 meters above diameter of the octaganol section is covered with lead-clad dome.

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