If you are visiting Turkey, I would suggest you make the time to visit the "cottony" limestone terraces of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis both dating back to 2 BC.
Hierapolis means “Holy City” because of its religious importance and is an ancient Greco-Roman city located on hot springs in southwest Anatolia adjacent to modern Pamukkale. Some believe that it was named after Hiera who was the wife of Telephos, the legendary founder of Pergamum. Women had a very significant place in the social system at that time and therefore it was not uncommon to name cities after them.
In ancient times all religious buildings were built near hot or cold water sources. Also other buildings such as fountains and baths were built for curing. 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.
Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hot springs there have been used as a spa since the 2nd century BCE, and people came to soothe their ailments, with many of them retiring or dying here. The large necropolis is filled with sarcophagi, including the Sarcophagus of Marcus Aurelius Ammianos.
Pamukkale is a unique natural phenomenon and I doubt there is anything like it in the world. The calcium cascade terraces of snow white stalactites and is known as the 8th wonder of the World by the Turkish people.
The white cotton-like terraces are mineral deposits which come from Cal Mountain’s rich spring waters and volcanic springs that were saved since thousand years. To keep the travertine white and to prevent crush and damage on them, in 1997 it was forbidden to walk on them and the water is allowed to reach the terraces periodically according to weekly watering schedule. But you are permitted to walk on the south part of the travertine with barefeet.
Sad that these travertines have dried up due to man's folly!
Beautiful and dreamy.......
A photograph can never capture the true beauty.
Swimming in the Cleopatra pool where there are ruins in the water.
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