The living Ruins of Hierapolis

Hierapolis is an ancient city near Denizli, now called Pamukkale and is located next to the famous landmark of Turkey, travertine terraces.

Hierapolis was once the main sanatorium-resort area of the entire Roman Empire, thanks to its ancient thermal springs Pamukkale.

Interestingly, Hierapolis is located at the site of a fracture of two tectonic plates, which repeatedly demolished it from the face of the earth as a result of earthquakes, but it was reborn again and again.

The name is simple: Hierapolis in Greek means "Holy City". The legend is more complicated: the first settlers discovered a cave, entering which people and animals died. This is how the cult of worship of Pluto, the god of the underworld, arose. It later turned out that the reason for this was the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the lower layers of the atmosphere under the arches, but I can imagine the feelings of the ancients…

The great Thracian earthquake of 1354 put an end to the history of Hierapolis, which by its decline had changed the hands of the Seljuks, Persians, Crusaders and Christians. The city was completely destroyed.

In 1988, the city of Hierapolis and the travertine hills were listed as UNESCO sites and the city came to life again and filled with tourists. Pamukkale today is a famous Turkish tourist attraction with an incessant flow of tourists. There are really a lot of people here.

There are many iconic sites in the ruins of Hierapolis: the Plutonium Cave, the Temple of Apollo, the main gate, the fountain of Neptune, the Agora shopping area, Roman baths, Amphitheater, St. Philip's Martyr, Cathedral, Cleopatra's pool…

In our rally without air conditioning, except for Pamukkale and Hierapolis, I remember only the sweltering heat. We explored Hierapolis in passing, and looking at the photos, I realize that I should go back. It's very atmospheric. Not enough has been lived.

Hierapolis and the travertines of Pamukkale stand on a hill, at a sufficient elevation. There is a very specific fantastic view from above, as if you have fallen into a timeless rift. There is a lot of sun and some kind of natural anomaly that leaves its mark on the whole area. It is difficult to describe in words this breathtaking feeling. I strongly advise you to visit! Hashtags are best suited #here is unusual #very strange place #fantastic nature #living ruins