Pamukkale Hierapolis Ancient City

Pamukkale Hierapolis Ancient City - Denizli

Pamukkale, which is included in almost all the places that must be seen before death and visited by 2 million tourists every year, is one of the places where nature plays the role of an artist. The discovery of the attractiveness of Pamukkale, where the white travertines formed as a result of the contact of thermal waters with air, form gradual shapes like a frozen waterfall and form terrace-shaped pools in places, goes back to the Roman Period.


Most of the ruins of the Pamukkale Hierapolis Ancient City, which stands in all its glory right next to the Pamukkale Travertines, is from this period. Along with the unique travertines, these remains are on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. We are sure that Pamukkale will fascinate you at first sight. 2 thousand years ago, the Kingdom of Bergama could not resist this attraction and built the City of Hierapolis next to the travertines. In this period, Hierapolis served as a thermal health center and its sources believed to be healing were visited by people who came from different parts of Anatolia and searched for health and beauty for thousands of years. Today, thermal pools continue to be visited in search of beauty and health. You can also enter the waters where the people of the ancient world swim thousands of years ago and watch the magnificent view of the travertines. However, this natural beauty, which takes thousands of years to form, is very sensitive. Therefore, it is possible to walk around in only certain parts and enter the waters. Those who want to stay longer in Pamukkale and benefit from its healing waters can both stay in the thermal facilities located near the ancient city and travertines and enjoy massage, thermal waters and mud baths.

Hierapolis Ancient City has managed to reach today by preserving it quite well. The Roman Bath, which we can definitely say that this place is frequently visited it is a thermal center, is used as an archeology museum today. You can see the sculptures and other ruins unearthed during the ancient city excavations in Hierapolis and its environs. Buildings such as ancient theater, temples, monumental fountains, tombs, agora, gymnasium are also good enough to make you feel that you were in the city of 2 thousand years ago. Especially the stories about Ploutonium, which is believed to be the entrance of hell during the Roman Period, will be of interest to you.


Hierapolis is also a holy settlement for Christianity. The most important reason for this holiness is that Phillippus, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, was killed here and his grave was also located here. Martyrium, built by the palace architects in the 5th century, where the tomb of the saint is located, is one of the holy structures of Christianity. The 6th-century cathedral, in which there is a baptistery and bishop venues, and the Direkli Church, dated to the 7th century, are other important Christian buildings. Many smaller churches are scattered throughout the city. All these structures prove that Hierapolis was an important religious center during the Byzantine Period.

Where is the Ancient City of Hierapolis?


The Hierapolis Ancient City, located 17 kilometers north of Denizli, is named as “Holy City”, or Holy City, in the Archeology literature, because of the presence of many temples and other religious structures known in the city. It is debatable which old geographical region the city is located in.


Hierapolis is among the various historical regions surrounding it with its geographical location. The ancient geographer Strabon and Ptolemy suggest that Hierapolis is a Phrygian city with its proximity to the cities of Laodikeia and Tripolis, which are borders of the Karia region. In ancient sources, there is no information about the name of the city before the Hellenistic Period. It is known for the cult of Mother Goddess that there was a life in the city before it was called Hierapolis. Although the information about the establishment of the city is limited; II of Bergama Kings. Eumenes II BC. YY. It is known that it was founded in the beginning and named after Hierapolis, the queen of Amazons, wife of Telephos, the legendary founder of Bergama.


Hierapolis continued its original texture, adhering to the principles of Hellenistic urbanization until the great earthquake of the Roman Emperor Neron period (60 AD). The city, which is located on the earthquake belt, was damaged by the Neron period earthquake and was completely renovated. After these earthquakes, the city lost its Hellenistic character and took on the appearance of a typical Roman city.


Hierapolis became a very important center in the Byzantine period after the Roman period. This importance, MS IV. Being a center of Christianity since the 19th century (metropolis), in 80 AD, Hz. It is due to the killing of Saint Philip, one of Jesus' disciples. Hierapolis, XII. Towards the end of the century, it was conquered by the Turks.

Parts of Hierapolis Ancient City


Hierapolis Theater: The big building is built on four islands. The steep cavea is divided into two parts from the diazoma, vertically with 9 cuneusa Summa cavea gallery and 8 steps are placed. The stage building has a logeion and a wide backstage and is linked to the skene. The three layouts of the Skene frons sit on the podium by marble monolithic columns, and here are decorated cornices dedicated to Apollo and Artemis. This magnificent building was built in the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus III. It was built in the 16th century by involving and destroying the previous phase (Flavius ​​Period). It was used until the late Roman period, it is understood from the inscription that the repair of the fronts of the skene, dated to 352 AD, on the lower face of the archaithra.


Large Bath Complex: Today, the massive walls and some vaults have survived and there are traces that the interiors of the building are covered with marble. The plan of the bath is like other typical Roman baths. First, there is a large courtyard at the entrance, a closed rectangular area with large halls on both sides, and then the main bath structure. On the side wings of the palaestra, two large halls, one in the south and the other in the north, are divided into emperors and ceremonies. Remains of the bath complex MS. II. It is dated to the century. Closed spaces with vaults adjacent to the big hole are used as museums today.

Frontinus Street: Due to its architectural features, this 14-meter-wide (plateia) street, which is thought to be built with the door, constitutes the main street of the city.


Agora: After the earthquake that occurred in 60 AD, Frontinus Street was organized as Hierapolis Trade Agora as a result of a wide area change between the slopes of the hill in the east.


Northern Byzantine Gate: Northern gate included in the city wall system built in Hierapolis city, IV. It is dated to the end of the century.


Southern Byzantine Gate: AD IV. It was built in the century. It was made with travertine blocks and the spolia material in which it contains marble.


Gymnasium: An inscribed architrave fragment that draws attention to the structure as the gymnasium draws attention.


Triton Fountain Building: Triton Fountain Building is one of the two big monumental buildings in the city, with the fountain building near the Temple of Apollo.


Ionic Column Headed House: The house is located on a secondary long road to the theater. Original structure MS II. It is dated as century.


Latrina: This building, which was destroyed in the earthquake, has survived to the present day with all its fragments. At the bottom of the long space is the canal that carries sewage water to the sewage on the street. There is a bench made to sit along the inner wall, with holes on it, a clean water channel was built in front of the channel carrying the dirty water for sanitary needs.

Apollo Sanctuary: The monumental building is dedicated to the most important god of Hierapolis. The building inside the podium marked on the podium was previously described as a temple, but later studies revealed that it was a divination center.


Water Canals and Nympheums: Two aquaducts, consisting of canals built on the surrounding hills, provide drinking water to the city.


Plutonium: The entrance of Plutonium is on the right side of the temple.


City Walls: As in other cities of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Hierapolis is also in AD. According to a law enacted in 396, it was surrounded by walls in the north, south and east directions.


Cathedral: It is one of the most important Christian cult buildings of Hierapolis Ancient City. The structure opens to the plateia with narthex and atrium. Enter the baptismal place through the door on the right, the rectangular planned, abscissa room is divided into columns and 3 naves. The fringe was carried by the second row of columns of the section where women sit. The apse has a rounded inside and a multi-edged plan outside. Inside the main apse is the concentric stair, synthronon, on which the priests and the bishop sit. The building plan was given to us by medieval repairs. VI. It allows us to date to the first half of the century

St. Philippus Martrium: Besides being seen as a source of healing with the unique thermal waters of Hierapolis Ancient City, it was considered as a holy city both in Pagan and Christian times. The reason for this is that in 80 AD, he came to Hierapolis to spread Christianity and Hz. It is the death of St. Philippus, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, by crucifixion. In the 4th century AD, after Christianity became the official religion, a martyr was made in the place where he was killed in the name of St. Plilippus. The building, which is built as a religious and spiritual treatment center, has an octagonal plan. There is also the tomb of St. Philippus in the marble covered area in the middle. This center, which is outside the wall in the Byzantine Period, can be reached by wide and long stairs. Ayazma fountain structure is located to the right of the stairs in the last section approaching the building. The octagonal section, about 20 meters in diameter, is covered with a lead-coated dome. There are small chapels to pray in the building. The of the octagonal section is marble, the corridor and the of the connected sections are mosaic with vegetable motif, and the of the rooms is travertine, and the of the outer rooms where the people stay is compressed earth. Today, many churches celebrate the St. Philippus holiday and hold a ritual.