Many queens had beauty baths in the red colored healing thermal waters of the Roman baths
with soaps scented with bay leaves and, refreshed, they presented themselves to the Caesars with stalks of grapes.
The ruins of Hierapolis are the other main attraction when you come to Pamukkale. The
city was founded in 190 B.C. by Eumenes II, king of Pergamon. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, it reached the height
of its development as a Roman thermal bath center.
Hierapolis has such extensive ruins which is suggested: the city walls, the octagonal Martyrium
of St. Philip, the 2nd century theater, Temple of Apollo, basilica, then the necropolis which covers 2 km².
and contains some of the best examples of tomb styles; it is one of the best-preserved ancient cemeteries in all
of Anatolia.
The East Bath now is an archaeology museum housing many of the remains from Hierapolis.
Dating back to the Calcholithic age, this was the site of a settlement of the earliest communities,
and changed hands continuously, becoming the center of various civilizations in different time periods. The ancient
city of Laodikeia is close here, within the borders of Denizli, with its ruins awaiting for the sightseers. In
addition to Triopolis which was known as the center of bishops, while Christianity spread. Hierapolis is another
Ancient City, being a real historical treasure, while it also offers a real wonder of nature in its vicinity. Named,
as »Pamukkale« today, this place is astonishingly beautiful, and unique in the world with its white
travertine offering marvelous scenery.
In the Antiquity, Eumenes 11, King of Pergamum, who rebuilt Hierapolis after its destruction
by an earthquake, used to like bathing in the healing waters of the springs there, in a manner that planted the
seed of the following concept in the soils of the Aegean lands that has survived up until now: The power lives
in great splendor. Between the first and fourth centuries, Hierapolis was a city popular with its spas in the Roman
Empire. Many queens had beauty baths in the red colored healing thermal waters of the Roman baths with soaps scented
with bay leaves and, refreshed, they presented themselves to the Caesars with stalks of grapes.
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Christianity started to spread in this area in 1. century AD. Since St. Philip, one of the twelve
apostles, was killed here, Hierapolis became a sacred place for the Christians. In 394 it came under the control
of the Byzantine Empire and became a center of Bishopric. However, when the Turks came to the area, they wanted
to conquer the city and because of continuous wars between the Turks and the Byzantine, the city became a battlefield.
Eventually the city grew weaker and weaker until a big earthquake brought an end to its history in the XIII Century.
Between the fifth and twelfth centuries, Hierapolis was a center of religion for the Byzantines.
The white frozen masses of travertine formed by warm waters up to 35 degrees that gush from the springs, soon they
were circled with churches and cemeteries. Missioners came to baptize themselves and their deads in the holy waters
of sanctified springs.
The hot springs have been used since Roman times for their therapeutic powers. Both the thermal center with its
motels and thermal pools, and the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis, are situated on the plateau.
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Hierapolis - ancient bath
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Hierapolis - main street
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Free Downloads
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Send a Bodrum Postcard
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Bodrum is the ideal starting point for the famous
Blue Cruise
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