Hierapolis was originally a Phrygian cult center of the Anatolian mother goddess of Cybele and later a Greek city. Its location was centred upon the remarkable and copious hot springs in classical Phrygia in southwestern Anatolia. Its extensive remains are adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey. Today, Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its ruins, including the thermal springs, necropolis, and theater attract tourists and archaeology enthusiasts from around the world. The site provides valuable insights into the daily life, architecture, and religious practices of the ancient Greco-Roman world.
Ceded to Rome in 133 B.C., Hierapolis flourished, reaching its peak of importance in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D., having been destroyed by an earthquake in 60 A.D. and rebuilt. Remains of the Greco-Roman period include baths, temple ruins, a monumental arch, a nymphaeum, a necropolis and a theatre. The first measurements and preliminary surveys of the Hierapolis area were carried out in 1887 by a German archaeological mission, under the direction of Carl Humann. His notes were published in 1889 in the book “Altertümer von Hierapolis”. Since 1957, excavations and reconstruction works carried out by Italian archaeologists have been ongoing continuously in Hierapolis. Many ancient buildings were excavated from the sediments, and then they were carefully restored. Some of the finds from Hierapolis were taken from Turkey and are in the collections of museums in London, Berlin, and Rome. Still, many valuable exhibits are currently displayed at the local Archaeological Museum.
At the heart of Hierapolis lies the awe-inspiring Pamukkale, a natural wonder often dubbed the “cotton castle.” Formed by the mineral-rich thermal springs cascading down the hillside, the hot springs have been used as a spa since at least the 2nd century BCE, with many patrons retiring or dying there as evidenced by the large necropolis filled with tombs.
Dominating the cityscape is the well-preserved theater of Hierapolis, it was erected in the third century CE, during the reign of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus. The building stands on the site of a pre-existing theatre from the time of Emperor Hadrian (the 2nd century CE). It was also erected with the building materials obtained from the Hellenistic theatre destroyed in one of the earthquakes, located in the northern part of the city.
2,200-year-old ancient pool located in the Ancient City of Hierapolis. It is also known as Cleopatra’s Pool, as it is believed that the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra heard the praise of the thermal water and came here.
