– the amazing and interesting place which everyone who was going to visit Turkey surely has to see. Certainly, many come to this country behind beach vacation, and it is reasonable – the seaside resorts of Turkey are known widely beyond its limits. However you can always find day and arrive here, to Pamukkale to enjoy a type of the original natural miracle created without participation of human hands.
So, what is it? First of all, Pamukkale is the name of the small settlement where it is possible to stop for the night in one of small private hotels. However the main attraction of this place – the water tanks formed by the nature which fall a cascade on slopes of hills and all together are really unforgettable show. Going to Pamukkale, do not forget to charge the camera or the video camera, the second same miracle you will hardly be able to see somewhere subsequently.
Pamukkale is a nature reserve, a peculiar park where the main highlight are these most mentioned tanks. The breed consists of limestone here in view of what a wall of tanks rather fragile. Otherwise they are called travertines. Water here in some way curative as it is richly saturated with various minerals and minerals, and its unusual properties people noticed in an extreme antiquity. As a result, around one of local thermal sources the antique city – the Hierapolis which ruins are also today here, in Pamukkale grew.
The population of the Hierapolis at first was mainly Greek – also the name of this city is Greek. Subsequently, it departed to Rome, and through some time it appeared under the power of the Turkish sultans. The city, it is necessary to notice, was quite famous at the time – in particular, it is connected with history of early Christianity as the apostle Philip – one of twelve pupils of Christ exactly here was killed.
Initially the Hierapolis was built as some kind of resort area, thanks to the healing waters collected in travertines. There came people from the different ends as Greece, and is later than the Roman Empire to have a rest here and to restore health. So, this area was well-known in an extreme antiquity.
Today from the ancient city there were only ruins. They remained rather badly, however and now tourists have an opportunity to see skeletons of colonnades and fragments of buildings of different function. Certainly, all this quite beautifully and has own unique atmosphere – in particular if to think how ancient these stones. However does to really unique Pamukkale existence of the cascades from travertine filled with water.
Besides, there are and some more survived sights which do the Hierapolis Pamukkale deserving visit. First of all, it is remarkably remained ancient amphitheater constructed at Greeks. Also the local necropolis – by the way, one of the largest in modern Turkey is worthy attention. Majestic ruins of the temple of Apollo also attract to themselves tourists, as well as the latest martiriya, built in honor of Saint Philip. But there is a lot of ancient cities – and in Turkey, including – and calcareous travertines are unique and characteristic of Pamukkale.
The local landscape – dazzling-white color, such color has limestone. Certainly, looking at a blue smooth surface of water many guests of this place have insuperable desire to plunge and to bathe properly. However it is strictly forbidden to do it – also, as well as to walk on limestone in footwear. Local protection very strictly watches this moment. The thing is that the breed rather fragile, and from external physical impact can collapse. Therefore it is possible to go at the edges travertine only barefoot, and it is forbidden to bathe in them. However, some desperate tourists ignore this ban though in it and there is nothing good.
The exception makes the so-called pool of Cleopatra – the tank with water constructed on the place ancient Roman a term. Terms where citizens of the Hierapolis adopted once water procedures, were destroyed throughout centuries, however today each tourist has an opportunity to bathe in the pool, having felt as the ancient Roman. Visit of the pool paid, however cost is quite low. After long bathing literally it is possible to feel how the organism gains strength and energy. Not for nothing this place was chosen as the water resort one thousand years ago!
The same who does not hurry to come into water have an opportunity to take a walk much in the territory of ruins of the Hierapolis and, of course, near travertine. Pictures which can be made here will be really magic, the whiteness of calcareous breed and blue of water on its background is, really, something unforgettable! Hardly something similar can be seen somewhere else, except as here, in Pamukkale. By the way, the name of the area can be translated literally from Turkish as the cotton castle. Honestly – if to look at stones, it is possible to associate them with not made by hand fortress, and snow-white color partly reminds color of cotton. Therefore, the name it is quite justified.
The Turkish authorities well understand uniqueness of this place, and make all attempts on its preservation. First, this, really unique place – a combination of a unique freak of nature and the ancient ruins noted by history. As a result from the first, Pamukkale is an important tourist center, and quite good cash inflow in the government budget. Despite of the fact that visit travertine, Cleopatra's pool and ruins of the Hierapolis costs not much tourists goes much to all seasons here! In the eighties the last century of Pamukkale it was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, having received the high status of a historical monument and the nature reserve.
There is a sense to go here and to you if you sometime appear in Turkey. Practically from all large resorts bus excursions ply here and even if the road will take any time, then a unique show which you will see here, wholly will pay back everything hours of a trip.