Pamukkale is one of the most striking and beautiful places in Turkey. This ‘Cotton Castle’ has been developing for millions of years due to a natural spring filled with calcium bicarbonate. it’s truly a bizzare, but spectacular site to behold. The water from the springs flows down the edge of the plateaus and cools creating carbon dioxide and calcium carbonate that forms the hard chalk travertines, resembling a frozen waterfall. The ancient greeks recognised the water of the pools to have healing properties due to it’s high mineral content and built a temple here and later a Pergamene king founded a town here in the second century B.C, Hierapolis. There is still little known about the people that lived here, though it is thought the appostle Phillip and his seven sons were martyred here. The city was devastated by earthquakes several times and raided by Turcoman and A rab’s at different times. italian archeologists began excavations on the site in 1957 and over the subsequent decades much has been uncovered and restored, partly returning the city to it’s former glory in this magnificent setting. |
