Turkey 2015 part II - Pamukkale and Hierapolis

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To walk in the water from the Pamukkale hot spring is a sweet luxury

The first half of this trip I, Ake, spent visiting various ancient sites in the southeast of Turkey. But there was one more thing I wanted to see while being in this part of Turkey and that was Pamukkale. Pamukkale is a place I bypassed when I travelled in Turkey many years ago. Since then I have been thinking about going there many times but haven't found time to until now. It took me twenty years of planning to make it to Pamukkale but finally I have.



You might argue that Pamukkale is two sites, not one. The famous one of these two being Pamukkale with its white terraces. The other site, being the less famous one, is Hierapolis which is the ruined remains of an ancient Greek city.



At Pamukkale there are several natural hot springs. The water which flows from these springs is rich in minerals. The water from the wells has over thousands of years formed thick layers of mineral deposits along a cliff face and today the cliff is white as a chalk and actually looks like a huge frozen waterfall. Pamukkale is a truly iconic site. I have seen more than one movie where they have used Pamukkale as a backdrop for a scene or two.



The Greek city Hierapolis, today an impressive ruin site, was located right next to Pamukkale. It is a great location for a city, next to the hot springs, so I completely understand the Greeks. I would also like to have a hot spring a hundred meters or so from where I live.



The Hierapolis site stretches over a large area and I actually didn't have time to see it all. But Greek ruins I have seen before so I don't feel bad about that. Once you have seen a couple of ruins they all start looking the same.



Pamukkale and Hierapolis is by the way a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That means that there are historical values to the site as well and not only aesthetic values. Although it was the fact that it looked so damned cool that made me want to go there in the first place.



In the parts of Hierapolis I had time to visit the most interesting constructions were the amphitheatre and the tomb of the Apostle Philip. Please don't ask me how they can know for sure that one of the Apostles was buried in that particular tomb in Hierapolis. I suppose they have some kind of trustworthy source to confirm that. Because they don't just make things like that up, do they? But now that I think about it I clearly remember seeing the staff of Moses, the one he used when he parted the Red Sea, in a museum in Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. No way that staff was the real deal, it looked way too new. If they in Turkey can fake a relic like that perhaps it is permitted to be a bit sceptcial here too.



This was all I had to say from this short trip. However, I really hope I will have the chance to return to Turkey in the future because it is a country I like very much and there are still many intereting places there I have not visited and several of the sites I have been to before I'd love to go to again.

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Photos

Hierapolis
Hierapolis amphitheatre

Pamukkale
At Pamukkale there are several natural hot springs. The water which flows from these springs is rich in minerals. The water from the wells has over thousands of years formed thick layers of mineral deposits along a cliff face and today the cliff is white as a chalk

Pamukkale
With all the white mineral deposits you have to work hard to get some colour in the pictures

Pamukkale
The sky is the safest bet if you want to catch some colour in the pictures

Pamukkale
The terrace is manmade, the mineral deposits are natural

Pamukkale
Pamukkale is much larger than I expected

Pamukkale
The sky reflects in the pool

Pamukkale
Pamukkale is a truly iconic site. I have seen more than one movie where they have used Pamukkale as a backdrop for a scene or two.

Pamukkale
Pamukkale actually looks like a huge frozen waterfall.

Hierapolis
The Greek city Hierapolis is today an impressive ruin site

Hierapolis
Pillars

Hierapolis
Pamukkale and Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hierapolis
One of the most impressive amfitheatres I have seen

Hierapolis
A road laid with stones

Hierapolis
Tomb of the Apostle Philip

Hierapolis
Pillars

Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Hierapolis
There are Greek ruins and there are Greek ruins Emma. Some are lucky enough to see some and some like me are not. But you have to admit this amphitheatre is beautifully preserved and beautifully presented...truly spectacular.

[Ake Och Emma]

I was lucky with that one
The lighting in the back made half the picture. I got lucky on that one. It only lasted for a few minutes and I sprinted up to the amphitheatre to catch it

[taracloud]

Unworldly sights
Fab photos in these amazing places. I too visited them, but hadn't realized Hierapolis was so huge--you were a proper explorer! And sure, this could be the tomb of the Apostle Philip--I saw authentic three Holy Grails in Spain, so anything is possible! I also agree that Turkey is fantastic--glad you liked it!

[Ake Och Emma]

I'll probably revisit P+H one day
Emma also wish to see Pamukkale so I guess I have to make a revisit some day. I don't mind that at all. It's worth it! /Ake

[D MJ Binkley]

Turkey part II
Twenty years later but you made it. Congratulations. Fantastic photos. On earth there are so many places that stand out as being special and this one seems to capture a lot of interest. We hope to get there some day. Thanks for sharing your impressions.

[emmpati2015]

Where is Pamukkale?
Pamukkale is located to the south central of the Aegean region of Turkey. It is about 19 km to Denizli city and a 2,5 hour drive from the resort town Kusadasi. This lovely, developing district Pamukakale is in Menderes Valley. It was inside the borders of Caria, Lycia and Phrygia and had a mixed population. This unique land locates on a platform overlooking the Curuksu Valley, known as Lycos in antiquity. It is at altitude of 360 m. from the sea level and 70 m. from the Lycos Valley. The calcium oxide-rich waters flowing down from the southern slope of Cal Mountain carried deposits and built these white travertines located on the north of the ruins, over the millennia, plateau.