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Pamukkale

Cotton Castle ( Turkish: Pamukkale )

Although Denizli is not by the coast, Denizli means "a locality by the sea". The name must have referred to the abundance of underground water sources.

Denizli is a rapidly growing industrial (especially textile) and touristic town with numerous beauties.

Being a fertile region, the city has always been a center of cradle of civilizations succeeding one another. Luvians, Phrygians, Persians, Greeks and Romans are counted among the early civilizations; the later ones include the Byzantines, Seljuk and the Ottomans.

Denizli’s popular site Pamukkale is a must-see natural thermal water source and a unique in the world with its calcareous white steps. The ancient sites Laodicea, Tripolis, Hierapolis, Colossae, Eumania, Heraklia Salbace, Tabae, Dionysopolis, Apollon Lermenos Temple, Sebatopolis, Anava, Trapezopolis, Attuda, and Apollonia Salbace are also inside the borders of Denizli city.

Hierapolis / Pamukkale

In ancient times all religious buildings were built nearby hot or cold water sources.

Beside religious buildings, some other buildings such as fountains and baths also were built for curing. The numbers of baths, fountains and also churches are evident of the importance of waters in Hierapolis and Christianity.

The temples were significant trade centers and Hierapolis had many temples that made people confused about which god they would worship before Christianity.

People in Hierapolis worshipped Apollo as their main God. Beside Apollo, Artemis-the goddess- had been very important too. Local people in Hierapolis had worshipped many other gods and goddesses such as Dionysus, Leto who was the mother of Apollo, Poseidon who was the reason of earthquakes, Pluto who was the god of underworld, Heracles etc.

Hierapolis means “Holy City” because of its religious importance and also temples together with other religious buildings.

The area of Hierapolis was exposed to be a place for many settlements for its abundant water sources. It is highly believed that the ancient city was built by the people of Pergamum. The history of Hierapolis before the Hellenistic period is not known exactly but there had been a settlement existence here. It is known that around 1900’s BC Luwis were in the scene of the area. The most civilized city of its time was Cydrara in the area around 500 BC and they had built a holy temple here.

After the fall of Troy, many colonists migrated to Anatolia from Greece and south east Europe in the Hittite Period. But it is still unknown if they established new cities or captured the existing cities or combined to live with others. When everything was settled, disagreements began among the people after a few centuries. Anatolians were invaded by Lydians that were living in the west of Asia and Lydian became successful. Afterwards actions stated with Lydian King Croesus. But their period did not last long; Lydian was defeated by Persians in 646 BC. Persians aim was not only Anatolia but also Greek land and Aegean Island. After the long wars Anatolia went under Greek domination. But this situation didn’t affect the lives of Anatolians.

On the other hand it is thought that Hiera was the name of the wife of Telephos. Telephos was the legendary founder of Pergamum so the founder of the city, Eumenes, named here as Hierapolis in honor of Hiera. Women took very significant place through the history of Anatolia therefore their names were used for newly founded cities.

The ancient city of Hierapolis was settled in an area of 1000 x 800 m. Hierapolis had many destructive strong earthquakes and as a result, each earthquake razed the city. (First destructive one in 17 AD, second one in 60 AD, third and last one in 1354)

Trade

Wool production, spinning, weaving, wool shearing, washing and dyeing were developed highly therefore textile industry had a great extent in Hierapolis.

The tradesmen of Hierapolis used to sell goods by exporting them to various parts of the empire.

Other sources of income were farming, producing copperware and stockbreeding. Also tourism had become an important source. Tourists from all of the empire visited Hierapolis for its temples, thermal waters also for literature and music competitions and festivals.

People could benefit from the thermal waters to get treatment or to enjoy themselves, or even to make sacrifice for their god.

Gates of Hierapolis

Domitian Gate; is on the north of Hierapolis and has two round towers. This gate is the best preserved one. It is also known as Frontinus Gate because it was built by Julius Frontinus (84-86 AD ), proconsul of Asia Minor. Then it was dedicated to the Emperor Domitian by Frontinus. It has three openings so is also known as the three gates. One of the towers of the gate is still in good condition today. The gate at the south end of the main street is the oldest one and was built in 65-86 AD. The lower parts of it are still under ground waiting for excavation. Also there are gates in the middle of the street which were built in the 4th century AD as a monuments of Christianity period and are shaped like triumphal arches.

Roman THeatre

It is located in the middle of Hierapolis and is very well preserved. it was built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian in 2nd century AD. In Emperor Severus period the cavea and the stage of theatre were restored by using the remains of another old theatre built earlier on the north of the city. Roman Theatre had a capacity of 8500 – 10000 spectators and was divided into two parts as upper and lower parts of seat by a diazoma.

People arranged concerts, religious ceremonies, competitions in this theatre. In the friezes of the theatre some mythological scenes had been depicted.

Temple of Apollo

Apollo was the most important god for local people. An honorary temple was built in front of the theatre for him. Because of the rock mass at the back of the temple which was excavated it assumed that there were large steps to reach the temple of Apollo.

Doric style marble columns which have higher quality than main street columns were used for the temple. Local people believed that Apollo and Artemis met here.

A prediction center and the gate to the hell have been also found near the temple.

Great Bath

These baths which has the plan of typical Roman Baths were built after the earthquake occurred in Neron Time.

It includes adjacent rooms containing pools. In the second section of the baths a palaestra locates where athletic and gymnastic activities were held.

The rooms were built parallel to each other and they were heated with fireplaces. First room was cold room which was known as Frigidarium, then 2nd was the tepid room which was known as Tepiderium and at last was the hot room which was known as Caldarium. Marble slabs were used to decorate walls.

Martyrium

This martyrium which is an octagonal structure and has a square base is a monument of Saint Philip.

Saint Philip was one of the twelve apostles of Christ and he was martyred in Hierapolis in 80 AD. Monument was built in the 5th century AD. He and his daughter contributed greatly to the spreading of Christianity in Hierapolis.

Saint Philip Martyrium is another sign of the influence of Christianity in the city. It was not a church but was used for religious ceremonies.

Agora

Agora means marketplace and place of public assembly. This big open market was set up near the Roman baths in Hierapolis. Local public meetings were also held here.

Archeologists found some inscriptions which have given some important information about the social life of the city in this agora. Agora area was surrounded by shops.

Roman Baths

It was built in the 3rd century AD, Roman time. Classical architectural features which have large stone blocks were used in the construction. 

When the effects of Christianity had increased and accepted by everyone in Hierapolis in the 4th century AD, Roman baths were converted into a church. 
The pedestals are carved by Christianity symbols such as crosses etc. Walls were covered with marble slabs originally. 
Except from this converted church there are couples of more churches in Hierapolis.

Necropolis

Necropolis means cemetery. In Greek language it means city of dead. Necro : dead, polis : city. Necropolis is a large burial site generally it was located outside the settlement.

Hierapolis cemetery is one of the widest cemeteries in Anatolia. It has three different parts, north, south and west. The north one is the largest one in Hierapolis with more than 1200 graves. Graves in Hierapolis necropolis have suitability for the social class of the dead. 
There are 4 different types of graves here and belong to the late Hellenistic, Roman and Eastern Roman periods. Hierapolis was not very big settlement in itself but it has huge necropolis lands because it was a holy city and old people used to come to benefit from the thermal baths and spend their last days here and many of them died and buried here. 
In addition some people who lived nearby were also buried here on their own wishes.

Tumulus Graves: They have a round plan and very large. They are mound raised over a grave. Inside of them there are grave rooms and it is possible to enter this inside rooms with a small doors. Tumulus type graves look like small hill. 

Sarcophagus: All sarcophagus type of graves was made from marble because they were belonging to the upper social class such as riches, heroes, noble people etc and they were large decorative coffins. It means in Greek “flesh eating”. Sarcophaguses stand on ground, on a podium, or on top of a cell.

Public Graves: Public graves were underground and made for the ordinary people. They had box shape. 

Family type graves: According the number of the persons in the family, largeness of the family type grave changes because these graves were made for all individuals of a family. Mostly they have several rooms, roofs and also windows. 

Among these all types just sarcophaguses were made from marble all others made from limestone. Each tomb has an inscription about name and life of the deceased and also social clubs in the city and their activities are mentioned.