Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in south-western Turkey. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. It is located in Turkey's Inner Aegean region, in the River Menderes valley, which has a temperate climate for most of the year.
The ancient city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle" which is in total about 2,700 metres (8,860 ft) long, 600 m (1,970 ft) wide and 160 m (525 ft) high. It can be seen from the hills on the opposite side of the valley in the town of Denizli, 20 km away. Tourism is and has been a major industry. People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years. As recently as the mid 20th century, hotels were built over the ruins of Heropolis, causing considerable damage. An approach road was built from the valley over the terraces, and motor bikes were allowed to go up and down the slopes. When the area was declared a world heritage site, the hotels were demolished and the road removed and replaced with artificial pools. Wearing shoes in the water is prohibited to protect the deposits.
Çivril
About 10km/7mi south of the regional center of Çivril on the Beysesultan Tepesi, the archeologists Lloyd and Mellaart unearthed a prehistoric settlement. The excavations took place between 1954 and 1959 and the finds are now on display in an Ankara Museum. Evidence of settlement here exist from the Chalcolithic times (4500 B.C.) until the early Bronze Age (1250 B.C.) and again 400 years later until Byzantine times. For the Stone Age alone, 21 layers have been found within 11m/36ft of sediment. In layer V (1900 B.C.), the remains of a palace reminiscent of Knossos were found. It was destroyed in the 18th century B.C. by the Hittite Labarna. Within four Bronze Age layers were found the traces of a shrine with sacrificial vessels, a blood altar, a phallic symbol and statuettes of Cybele. To one side the tomb of an important Islamic figure can be seen.
A town was founded here by King Eumenes II of Pergamon soon after 190 B.C. Intended as a rival to Laodikeia, the new settlement was a fortified military colony. It may have been named after Hiera ("Hierapolis", city of Hiera), wife of Telephos, the mythical ancestor of the Pergamenes.
The first town was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 60 and now only the scanty ruins of a theater are visible. A new town was built on a site to the south. The city enjoyed its greatest prosperity around the second and third century but most of the ruins date from later. The existence of a large Jewish community in Hierapolis led to the early arrival of Christianity (Colossians 4:13). In A.D. 80 the Apostle Philip was martyred here and later a church, perhaps the basilica outside the north gate, was dedicated to him. Hierapolis became the see of a bishop and a metropolitan but its main function was as a spa. With the coming of the Seljuks (1094) it gradually decayed and was abandoned. A severe earthquake in 1354 also affected.
Laodikeia.
Karahayit Tourism
More hot springs (Kizilpinar 55°C/131°F) bubble from the chalk-coated rocks on the same plateau only 5km/3mi west of Pamukkale near the village of Karahayit. The presence of various other oxides, e.g. iron oxide, tinges the calcium carbonate with a variety of colors. A small bathing pool is situated beneath the springs.
Kolossai Tourism
Take a side road to reach the village of Honaz which lies a good 20km/12mi east of Denizli beneath the Honaz Dag. A short distance to the north, the River Lykos cuts through a limestone plateau partly in an underground channel and partly in a 4km/2.5mile long gorge (Bogaz Kesen). The scanty remains of the once great Phrygian city of Kolossai lie beyond the gorge. They are referred to by Herodotus (Bk 7: 30) and in the time of Xenophon (Anabasis Bk 1: 2,6) Kolossai was still a place of some consequence, but became increasingly overshadowed by Laodikeia and Hierapolis. Its name has remained familiar because of Paul's epistle to the Christian community here. 4km/2.5mi to the south the hillside town of Chinai (Honaz) with its patron saint Michael was of more importance in Byzantine times.
Laodikeia
The ruined site of ancient Laodikeia (Laodicea) which is situated about 5km/3mi north of Denizli is referred to by local people as Eskihisar or "Old Castle". The town, built on the site of an earlier settlement known originally as Diospolis and later as Rhoas, was founded by Antiochos II of Syria (261-246 B.C.), who named it after his sister Laodike. The city subsequently became the part of the kingdom of Pergamon, probably after the Treaty of Apameia in 188 B.C. and thereafter passed into Roman hands. Its commercial activities and especially its wool and textile industries made it one of the wealthiest cities in Asia Minor (Revelations 3:17). After a devastating earthquake in A.D. 60, the citizens rebuilt the city out of their own resources. It was home to one of the oldest Christian communities and ranked among the Seven Churches of Asia (Revelations 1:11;3:14; Colossians 4:13ff). After its conquest by the Seljuks in the late 11th century, the city fell into decay and in the 13th century the remaining inhabitants abandoned the site and moved to Ladik (Denizli).
Pamukkale - Hot Spring Pool
The main outlet for the spring water today is near the Pamukkale Motel (no group tours) and a number of antique columns are submerged in the bathing pool where water at a temperature of 38°C/100°F circulates. The spring with a flow of 200-250liter/44-55gallons per second has covered the whole of the lower town with a chalky coating and numerous earthquakes have caused this layer to crack and split open.
Limestone Terraces
The calcareous deposits (travertine) come from a number of warm water springs (34-35°C/93-95°F) which contain large quantities of dissolved calcium bicarbonate. When the water reaches the surface, the calcium bicarbonate breaks down into carbon dioxide, water and calcium carbonate.
The latter is deposited in the form of a hard grayish-white layer. These deposits gradually fill up, sometimes even raise the water channel, so that the water flow disperses in all directions and the deposits produce a series of fan-like formations with small dips and terraces. In the same way that stalactites form in limestone caves, the deposits grow on the steep slopes eventually taking on the appearance of cotton wool. Çalcareous deposits can be found wherever water emerges from karst rock, e.g. Lake Plitwitz in Croatia and near Antalya in Turkey. The thermal spring water, which in addition to chalk and carbon dioxide, contains sulfuric acid, sodium chloride, iron and magnesium, has long been valued for its healing powers and thus revered as a shrine.
Saraykoy Tourism
The town of Sarayköy at the western edge of the Hierapolis valley is probably old Karura (Kyorara) which lay on the border between Phrygia and Caria. It became known for its hot springs by the Maeander and its Herophilian medical school. Herophilus (fourth century B.C.) was regarded as the most important doctor of antiquity after Hippocrates. He was one of the first doctors to dissect the human body.
Kaklik caves
Kaklik caves are like a small version of Pamukkale, but in a cave, underground and are about 30 minutes from Pamukkale.
Roman amphitheater
The great (12,000-seat) Roman amphitheater of Hierapolis should not be missed.
Laodikya
Another lesser known site, but one that holds a considerable significance Biblically is Laodikya, just 10 km (10 minutes on a local dolmuş) from Pamukkale on the Denizli road. It's mentioned in the Bible as one of the 7 Churches of the Revelations and even though it hasn't been reconstructed as much as the more famous sites like Ephesus, is a great place to experience the Roman history without the crowds. A peaceful way to spend a day looking at ruins but also the beautiful scenery there as well.
Importance
Like Laodikeia, Hierapolis owed its prosperity to various branches of the wool industry including shearers, spinners, weavers, dyers and dealers. Their products were exported as far afield as Italy. The city was also a much-frequented spa where dazzling festivals and games were held to entertain visitors.
Çardak
Between the town of Çardak and the railway line, 55km/34mi east of Denizli at the western tip of the large Lake Acigöl, stands the well-preserved Çardak Hani. This Seljuk caravanserai with five aisles, each with two massive towers (one with five and one with three sides), was endowed in 1230 by Rasideddin Iyaz, a general of the sultan Alaeddin Kaykobad. Above the porch an inscription is flanked by two lions. Known in antiquity as Anaua Limne, Lake Acigöl (836m/2,742ft) covers an area of 1,153sq.km/445sq.miles but can often dry up in the summer months
Get in
The nearest major city is Denizli, where you will likely arrive first before getting to Pamukkale.
By plane
* Closest airport is Denizli - Cardak Airport is 65 km or 1 hour away and there are flights
twice daily to Istanbul.
* Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport is another alternative to the area. Pamukkale is 252 km from
the airport, a drive of about 4 hours (4-1/2 to 5 hours by bus)or 6-7 hours by train. (Check
TCDD for train schedule.)
By train
The nearest train station is in Denizli, which currently has services from Izmir only. The Istanbul service (Pamukkale Express) was suspended in 2008, presumably because of track renovations, and it is not certain when/if the services will re-start.
By bus
Bus to Pamukkale/Denizli can be found from almost all the cities of Turkey. Bus services include water, hot drinks and a snack. There are virtually no bus companies that take you directly to Pamukkale despite what the ticket sellers tell you. The bus will drop you in Denizli and then you have to get on the free minibus to Pamukkale (about 20 km away).
By dolmuş
From Denizli bus station, take a dolmuş, a type of cheap communal taxi that usually seats about 10 (but it's possible they'll squeeze in more), from nearby Denizli. Frequent mini-buses serve the village of Pamukkale in a 20 minute ride. It cost 2 YTL per trip.
Get around
Even when you're way on the edge of the village, you can reach everything (the village center and the travertine pools) on foot in about ten to fifteen minutes.
