Pamukkale - Turkey

Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern 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.

Pamukkale is visited by 2,5 million people from around the world, every year. Pamukkale travertines form with calcium carbonate in the thermal water. high amount of calcium bicarbonate in the water at 36 Celsius degrees precipitates when it contacts the air.

The ancient city of Hierapolis was founded in 197 B.C, by the king of Pergamon Eumenes II. The city was named as Hierapolis in the memory of Hiera, the wife of Telephos, the founder of Pergamon.

Hierapolis is rich in rare marble beds.

One of the least damaged theatres of Anatolia is in Hierapolis.

The Ancient Theatre has 12.000 people capacity and impresses with its massive stage and perfect architecture. It took 146 years to construct the Theatre, from 60 A.D. to 206 A.D.

The Ancient Theatre was biut in the Roman Period and it has characteristics of a Greek theatre, decorated with mithological engravings made of marble.

The attractions in the Ancient Theatre were the gladiator fights. In fact there were a lot of gladiator schools in Hierapolis.

Cleopatra's beauty secrets are in the Ancient Pool, that provides effective treatment for many diseasses.

The Ancient Pool was formed as a result of the collapse of Civic Agora's portico, as a result of a major earthquake.

The water temperature is 36 Celsius degrees every season, even in winter.

From the Ancient Pool off we go to the travertines.

Tourists are not allowed to walk on the travertines with their shoes on.

Pamukkale travertines have spectacular lines.Thermal water makes the forms while passing whatever they touch. So much so that they even make plants and their roots whitish as well as the stones and soil.

 You can walk as much as more than 3 hours and you will still not see the entire site.

 Pamukkale is one of the most important hertiages of UNESCO.

The Ancient City of Hierapolis has a modern city plan. Having a history of thousands of years, the City centre was organized according to a gridiron plan, and even today it stands as a modelfor city planning with its modern streets and gates.