|
Pamukkale is a natural
wonder of unrivalled beauty.
Here in the southwestern part of Turkey is
Denizli Province, home to
Pamukkale. The word means
“cotton castle” and is the key
natural feature in this region. Pamukkale
is one of the best known
attractions in Turkey with its
unique waters (cotton castle)
and the ancient Roman baths.
The
hot mineral waters that have
been springing from the earth
here for centuries have created
a white stone wonderland, topped
by the ancient city of
Hierapolis above, sitting on the
plateau. The natural hot waters
are a special treat. Bathing,
especially in the morning or
evening is a particular joy,
surrounded by surreal yet
stunning landscapes, long,
undisrupted valley views, and
all the time, you know that the
waters are healing any stiff
joints or ailments you may have!
What more could you possibly
wish for?
What is Pamukkale is and how it
came to be?
To say the least, Pamukkale is
an overlooked natural wonder
that is worth visiting whenever
you vacation in Turkey’s
southwestern region. The
area contains numerous hot
springs and carbonate mineral
terraces (or travertines) that
were left behind as mineral
deposits from the river. These
travertine features originated
due to a shifting of the
Menderes valley fault line.
As the fault continued
shifting, extremely hot
springs containing a
high chalk content began
to rise to the surface
and build the terraces
that are currently
visible. These
travertines were created
by the reaction that
occurs when
the calcium and hydrogen
carbonate are combined
and forming calcium
carbonate and limestone
as a result. This
calcium carbonate is
referred to as
travertine and it
created the pools as
well as the white
coloration that
Pamukkale
is known for. A
hat and sunglasses are
highly recommended
apparel when visiting
here in the summer as
the climate and the
water in these pools
gets extremely hot.
History, myth and legend
The city was originally
established as a health
spa of sorts and
tourists have bathed in
these waters for
centuries. Over the
years, many developers
constructed hotels for
the tourists visiting
the area but they were
always damaged as these
structures were
constructed atop the
ruins of the ancient
city. These remaining
hotels were eventually
destroyed when Pamukkale
was designated as one of
UNESCO’s World Heritage
Sites in 1988.
Many locals often talk
about the legends and
myths of the waters’
healing powers. One
such legend is about a
young and ugly woman
that no one wanted to
marry. Attempting to
end her life, she threw
herself off one of the
travertines a pool in an
attempt to commit
suicide. Strangely
enough, she did not die
as she had planned and
instead, emerged from
the water as a pretty
woman. Upon passing
her, Lord Denizli gazed
upon her features and
immediately fell in love
with her and they soon
married.
Things to Do & See
in Pamukkale
In addition to the
above, there are a few
other attractions for
tourists to take in when
visiting the area in
your
Turkey holidays.
These include:
-
Kaklik caves
– an underground
version of
Pamukkale
located about 30
minutes away
-
Karahayit –
known as the red
spring, it’s not
quite the
outcropping found at
Pamukkale but it is
only 5 minutes away
-
Roman
amphitheatre of
Hierapolis – nearby
is the ruins of this
12,000-seat arena
|
