Turkey Travel Part IV: Hierapolis & Pamukkale Travertine

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Day 4

Wednesday, 16 Oct 2019

Visiting Hierapolis

After visiting the archaeological site of ancient Ephesus City, we travelled to another archaeological site of an ancient city known as Hierapolis in Pamukkale in Turkey. It is 190 km east of Kusadasi and 600 km south of Istanbul.

Journey from Kusadasi to Pamukkale

Entrance to Hierapolis

On arrival at the ancient city of Hierapolis, we entered the site with tickets. The city covered a large area but it is in ruin now. Most of it is covered with soil and excavation has been carried out to expose its buildings.

City of Hierapolis(200 BC-1400 AD)

The picture below shows the City of Hierapolis from 200 BC until 1400 AD.

Hierapolis Within a Fortress

The ancient City of Hierapolis was within a fortress with a few gates. The photo below shows one of them.

Ruins Over a Large Area

The ancient city had existed for 1600 years from 200 BC until 1400 AD. Its ruins spread over a large area and most of them are buried in the ground by soil from the surrounding high ground.

Ruins of Hierapolis in Photos

The photos below show some of the ruins in the ancient city of Hierapolis.

(i) The Theatre was built in the reign of a Roman Emperor, Hadrian(76-138 AD), in the ancient city of Hierapolis, Pamukkale, Turkey

(ii) Part of the ruined city of Hirapolis

(iii) Part of the ruined Middle Age fortress on the plateau of Hierapolis City

(iv) An ancient building of Hierapolis is now a museum that houses the artefacts of the ancient city.

Abandoned Excavation

The photo below shows ruins that have been buried deep in the ground and excavation was abandoned long ago.

Pamukkale Travertine

Next to the ancient city of Hierapolis is the Pamukkale Travertine. Semicircular pools have been formed on the slope of a plateau. They are filled with a mixture of hot spring water and rainwater during wet seasons. Most of them are empty during dry seasons.

Semicircular Pools

The hot spring contains calcareous salts which then deposit as travertine on the slope of the plateau forming semicircular pools.

Large Pool

Water flows down the slope of the plateau and into a large pool below in Pamukkale Town.

Feet Soaking in Pools

Visitors to Pamukkale Travertine had a good time soaking their feet in some pools that contained hot spring water on 16 Oct 2019.

Visitors’ Shoes

They took off their shoes and left them on wooden steps before they went down to the pools that contained hot spring water.

Writer and Wife Soaking Their Feet, Too

Writer and wife soaked their feet in a pool of spring water, too, but the water had turned cold on 16 Oct 2019.

Antique Pool or Cleopatra’s Pool

There is a thermal pool containing mineral-rich hot spring water near Pamukkale Travertine. It is known as Antique Pool or Cleopartra’s Pool. The water is believed to have healing properties for many ailments.

Entrance to Antique Pool near Pamukkale Travertine

Visitors in the Pool

Visitors were enjoying themselves in the pool of hot spring water hoping that their health problems would be solved on 16 Oct 2019.

Pam Thermal Hotel

At about 6 in the evening, we left Pamukkale Travertine and went for dinner at a hotel, Pam Thermal Hotel, in Pamukkale Town. Later, we stayed a night at the hotel on 16 Oct 2019.

Cold and Hot Spring Water Pools

This hotel has a cold and hot spring water pools at the back for guests to enjoy.

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Places visited during Turkey Tour(13-22 Oct 2019):

Trojan Horse/Ancient Troy Cities Asklepion Ephesus Hierapolis/Pamukkale Travertine Sultanhani Caravanserai Pasabag Valley Uchisar Valley/Kaymakli Underground City Gerome Valley/Turkish Night Show Hot Air Balloon/Lake Golu/Anitkabir Hagia Sophia/Topkapi Palace/Blue Mosque Bosphorus Boat Cruise Spice Bazaar/Grand Bazaar