Hierapolis - Pamukkale - World mixed heritage in Turkey

Unesco's Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization recognized Hierapolis - Pamukkale of Turkey as World Heritage in 1988.

Hierapolis ancient citadel and Pamukkale snow stream in Turkey

Hierapolis is an ancient Greek city in Turkey, known as the ' Holy City' . Pamukkale is a famous tourist town called ' cotton castle '. These two locations are recognized by the Unesco as a World Heritage in the mixed category .

Hierapolis holy city in Turkey

Hierapolis is located in southwestern Turkey near Denizli, the city formed in the 2nd century BC. Different from all the other ancient cities, not on ordinary ground or rock, the city of Hierapolis formed on layers of solid limestone. The city is built on the top of a white calcium waterfall, with a total length of 2700 m, 600 m wide and 160 m high. Here there are geothermal streams of calcium salt flowing through the highlands, through many millennia, forming a series of stalactites, white calcium waterfalls with a series of terraced basins.

The hot spring in the city is used as a therapy site from the 2nd century BC. People come here to ease the pain of illness and afflictions in the soul. Many people even choose this place as a place to retire and die. The cemetery of the city is not only civilians but also the resting place of Emperor Marcus Aurelius of the Roman Empire.

The relatively intact architecture of the holy city of Hierapolis in Turkey
The ancient buildings have been much less damaged so far, but there are still clear traces of a heyday of this city such as: temples, theaters, gyms, public bathrooms ; cemetery; housing of people .

Hierapolis was formed from the ancient Greek medical care needs. The city thus serves as a medical care and treatment center that the ancients discovered the utilization of geothermal mineral water in the area. This is also a testament to the wisdom of the Roman Empire .

The name Hierapoli is in Roman, meaning ' holy city '. The reason why the city is so meaningful is because it is invested in many big temples. Up to the reign of Augustus , the city of Hierapolis was formally described on the coin-city of temples.

Currently the temple of the ancient Greek gods remains the foundation. New temples were rebuilt from old 3rd century temples in the smaller Roman empire, but now only retain marble floors. According to the document, the most important buildings of the city were built in the 2nd century BC. The ancient building is still relatively clear as a big theater. The theater auditorium is divided into 9 walkways and along the eight hallways. The four entrances of the theater have six marble statues. The theater's auditorium has a capacity of 1,500 people, the benches set up from a low to high level and are divided into two parts separated by a horizontal corridor. These rows of seats are still intact today.

The tomb of Saint Phillip is placed on a high hill

Most graves in the cemetery are from the end of the Roman, Greek and early Christian periods. This is the grave of people from other cities to the city of Hierapolis to treat illnesses and pass along with some graves of indigenous people. The number of people coming here for treatment is so great that the small cemetery initially became a large cemetery stretching up to 2 km and today these graves are excavated.

This cemetery is one of the best preserved archaeological sites in Turkey. There are 1200 tombs completely buried on limestone. With the number of such tombs, once again proves that the city of Hierapolis was formed in ancient times. St. Philip 's tombs are located in the hills behind Hierapolis. Philip is a famous saint of the region. Saint Philip planted his death as a martyr. The tomb of St. Philip was specially designed by Byzantine architect Martyrium with an octagonal arch beneath the dome.

Pamukkale is known for thousands of years ago, this town had a hotel to serve tourists visiting and healing with mineral-rich hot springs . According to ancient legend, the waters in these natural tanks can be used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease, rheumatism, circulatory problems, neurological disorders, digestive diseases, exhaustion, eye disease, skin diseases and nutritional disorders. In this area there are about 17 hot springs with a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius.

Looking from afar, this side of the hill is white, gleaming in the sun like snow. In fact, it is a calcium bocarbonate compound in spring water that accumulates for many thousands of years, forming fine, layered white limestone plaques. That's why Pamukkale is also known as the 'cotton castle'.

Stretching up to 2,700 meters on the mountain slope, Pamukkale is formed from a sedimentary rock deposited by water from hot springs. The water here contains a lot of calcium salts that flow through the plateaus and over the years helped form a series of stalactites, large waterfalls and white calcium waterfalls and very attractive basins . Spring water lingers among limestone beds, creating small blue lakes, water levels are just over half a meter, and smells of sulfur, but the natural scenery is so unique that visitors feel like they are immersed in the middle. layers of white clouds.

This system of hot springs became a place of therapy and healing from the 2nd century BC when the Romans built the city of Hierapolis for the purpose of healing and healing .

These two places are recognized as World Heritage sites by natural beauty and by the great historical significance as well as the great artistic and cultural values ​​of the Roman Empire.