PAMUKKALE & HIERAPOLIS

PAMUKKALE CITY PLAN

1 - South honorary Gate. 2 - South Bizantine Gate.3 - City wall.4 - Bouleterion.5 - Gymnasium.6 - Basilica-Christian Church. 7 - Christian church.8 - City Baths (museum) . 9 - Roman Baths.10 - Plutonium.11 - Nymphaeum. 12 - Apollo Temple.13 - Theatre.14 - Christian Church.15 - Basilica -Cathetral and Baptistery.16 - Main Street.17 - Byzantine Gate.18 - Frontinus Street.19 - Frontinus Gate.20 - Church.21 - Latrine.22 - Commercial Agora.23 - Old Theatre.24 - Remains of the Northern Baths.25 - Necropolis26 - Martyrion of St. Philip.27 - Water reservair.28 -Necropolis.

This place entirely covered by travertine resembling a castle to which it owes its      name (cotton castle), is at a distance of 18 km to the east of Denizli. This marvel of nature which gives the impression of heaped cotton where history has left its marks reveals itself in this ancient village called Hierapolis.

A road forks before arriving in Denizli and leads us through grenery directly to Pamukkale. The whiteness which appears from afar resembling clouds take shape as they are approached creating a fairy world of whiteness.

One may climb the ruins with greatest delight to the accompaniment of the singing streams forming basins on both sides of the climb. And when one turns behind and takes a look behind he sees a paradisiacal beauty deploying at his feet.

The play of colours during the sunset and the sunset at Pamukkale is a real phenomenon of nature.

Baths

During the reconstruction of the city following the eartquake at the beginning of IInd century AD they had built also baths. The monumental ruins at the entrance are the vestiges. The greater part of these baths which consist of a frigidarium are in good condition. The palestra is in the east where physical exercises were made. This section measuring 36 m by 52 m has two large ha1ls one of which belonged to the notable personalities of the state and the other was reserved for ceremonies. Here was a large space where sportsmen made their exercies. The baths are constructed on the same plan as the Roman baths: a large space flanked by chambers, seconded by another rectangular space surrounded by chambers containing pools.

In these chambers containing pools were large windows opening on to the south. Today it is not possible to delineate this uncovered space. The top was covered with bricks and the interior was paved with marble. Today the chambers where people changed serve as museum. In the IInd century AD towards the Tripolis, close by the north port is another bath. The periphery of the caldarium has two rectangular pieces with double apse. The structure was transformed into a church at the end of Vth century. It seems that these baths were covered by vaults and the hal1s were paved with marbles.

Tombs

Outside the city is a graveyard which one can visit even today. This graveyard was flanked on one side by the north road going towards Tripolis-Sardes and on the other by the south road which followed the direction of Laodicea- Colossai graveyards along roads were traditional under Romans.

To the east of the city of the slope is another graveyard. These graveyards contained tombs of travertine. The marble which was either of local origin or transported from the surrounding region was used only in the fabrication of sarcophagi of which we have here a good many specimens. The region to the north east and in the confines of the city must have been the first burial ground. The limits of the region reserved to the death in the confines of the city in 1st century is comprised later within the city itself.

The funerary monument dating from the times of Julius Claudius dedicated to an important person remained intact because of the respect due to him. This monumental tomb which is in the necropolis of Hierapolis resembling a sanctuary is a typical example of an edicule. Some had columns in line on an elevated footing on which rested the sarcophagus like at Mylasa, Iasos and Termessos. The few vestiges remain. The inside of the tomb which looked like the interior of Heroon consisted of a rectangular chamber surrounded on four sides by seats in rows of seats in the shape of a triclinius.

The entry into the tombs section is through a vestibule linked with a decorated structure with engravings. The door has a panel f'ixed with hinges. The family tombs are in general surrounded by a small garden while other tombs have been added at a later date. To the east of the region with the hellenistic city stretching dating from the times of Domitianus is a poormen's graveyard. Tumuli like those in Anatolia and Thrace can be found in Hierapolis.

These had been made heaping up earth on a rectangular vaulted chamber. Inside the chamber are three funeral couches. A dramos provides entry to the chamber . The type of tomb with edicule and fronton date rather from Ist century .In IInd and IIIrd centuries the footings on which rested the sarcophagi were made more conspicuous with a view to transforming the dead into heroes. The sarcophagus was for the one contained in it.

Theatre

The theatre which dates from IInd century AD from the times of Hadrian was restored in IIInd century by Septimus Severus utilizing the rows of seats they had taken off from the ancient theatre to the north of the city instead of using marble as before, doubtless for lack of financial means. The stage was transformed under Septimus Severus and family , the foundations of the wall of the stage were reinforced to which leant a columned façade. The rich decoration of this façade is particularly impressive. The columns of the façade are surmounted by panels where mythological scenes describing Apollo and Artemis are illustrated.

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