Denizli's Pamukkale: A White Wonderland of Hot Springs, Travertines, and Ancient Roman Ruins!

A trip to Denizli, Türkiye, wouldn't be complete without a visit to Pamukkale! Located in the southwest of Denizli, Pamukkale is a renowned hot spring resort, famous for its millennia-old natural hot springs and peculiar cotton-like hills. In Turkish, "Pamuk" means cotton and "Kale" means castle, hence the name Pamukkale, or "Cotton Castle." The entire Pamukkale site stretches 2,700 meters long and rises 160 meters high. Scientifically speaking, these white terraces are "travertines," primarily composed of calcium carbonate. Local rainwater seeps underground, undergoing a long cycle before reemerging as hot springs. During this process, it dissolves significant amounts of limestone and other minerals from the rocks. As the hot spring water flows down the hillside, the limestone deposits accumulate, gradually forming cascading travertine terraces. Upon arriving at Pamukkale, I was instantly captivated! It resembles a castle made of cotton, with jade-like, semi-circular, white, natural terraces cascading down like snow-covered rice paddies. From afar, it looks like large cotton blossoms dotting the hillside. Countless trickles of water flow gently through crevices in the rocks, and warm water vapor envelops Pamukkale in a delicate, ethereal mist. The spring water collects in the terraces, forming tranquil pools. The hot spring water flows from the cave ceiling, carving the hillside into terraces, and the pools collect on the platforms, where people can sit and soak, relieving fatigue and promoting well-being. The minerals in the spring water precipitate, dyeing the entire hillside white, like open-air lava. Looking down from above, the hot spring platforms resemble mirrors reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. Looking up from below, it resembles a recently erupted volcano, with white lava covering the entire hillside, a truly magnificent sight. The ancient city built by the Romans now lies in ruins, but the naturally formed Pamukkale continues to grow with the flowing hot springs. The once-functional healing center has become a primarily scenic attraction. However, two activities still allow visitors to experience the ancient traditions. One is descending into the white pools, stepping on the hard calcium crystal formations, and experiencing the warm spring water. Some even wear swimsuits and sit in the natural pools, cleansing themselves and enjoying the ancient Roman spa treatment. The remnants of walls and rubble in the pools are said to be ruins left by the earthquake that destroyed the temple. Strictly speaking, these are not swimming pools but rather irregularly shaped depressions that have been slightly modified. They are filled with marble beams and columns from ancient Greece and Rome, dating back over 2,000 years. Hot spring water flows through these depressions, creating pools filled with stones. The water is moderately warm and crystal clear, allowing a clear view of the marble fragments within. Swimming is limited to the small spaces between the stones, and most people climb on the beams and columns, experiencing the ancient atmosphere in this unique way. In such a pool, healing becomes secondary to the immersive experience of interacting with ancient ruins. Besides the unique hot springs, Pamukkale boasts numerous nearby historical sites. Hierapolis, an ancient city with Greco-Roman influences, was founded in 190 BC by Eumenes II, king of Pergamon. Remnants of large baths, a stadium, streets, and a necropolis still stand. There are two large Roman theaters, one of which, the Hierapolis Theatre, is a vast open-air amphitheater carved into the hillside. The tombs in the necropolis are built of marble blocks, with intricately carved marble sarcophagi, once the resting places of prominent figures. These intact sarcophagi are scattered across the vast wilderness, and the golden light of the setting sun casts a melancholic glow, emphasizing the passage of time.