About
Pamukkale ('cotton castle' in Turkish) is a natural site in southwestern Turkey where seventeen hot springs deposit calcium carbonate (travertine) over the hillside, creating dazzling white terraced pools of crystal-clear mineral water. The terraces cascade down 160 meters and have been visited for therapeutic bathing since the 2nd century BCE.
Above the terraces sits Hierapolis — an ancient Greco-Roman city built to take advantage of the hot springs. The necropolis (graveyard) of Hierapolis is one of the largest in Turkey. The sacred pool in Hierapolis contains submerged ancient columns — you can swim among 2,000-year-old ruins.
# Top 10 Pamukkale Turkey facts
- 1Pamukkale's terraces have been formed by hot spring deposits over thousands of years
- 2At Hierapolis's sacred pool, you can swim among submerged 2,000-year-old Roman columns
- 3The springs maintain a constant temperature of 35–37°C and contain minerals believed to be therapeutic
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Pamukkale's terraces have been formed by hot spring deposits over thousands of years
- ◆At Hierapolis's sacred pool, you can swim among submerged 2,000-year-old Roman columns
- ◆The springs maintain a constant temperature of 35–37°C and contain minerals believed to be therapeutic
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