The area is a burgeoning paradise for holidaymakers who seek an enriching blend of historical exploration and rejuvenating wellness experiences.

Take a look at this video from Euronews to find out more.

Source: Euronews

Further reading

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Truly spectacular, Pamukkale, literally “Cotton Castle” in Turkish, is especially famous for its white limestone travertines shaped by hot springs that flow down the slopes, where the layers of white calcium carbonate have built up in steps on the plateau, earning the phenomenon its name.

It’s no surprise that some of the most familiar images of Türkiye are those of the gleaming white travertines.

To protect them from damage, the terraces are off-limits to visitors.

It is worth spending the night in Pamukkale, especially during a full moon. As the pale light settles on the deserted terraces, one can only sit in silent homage and marvel at its unworldly beauty.

Pamukkale is also the site of the remarkably well-preserved ruins of the Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis.

Ancient Hierapolis

Many visitors are so focused on the amazing travertines that they barely notice the high plateau is also the site of the ancient spa of Hierapolis.

Founded by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, the city was ceded to Rome in 133 BC along with the rest of the Pergamene kingdom. 

The city was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 60 and was rebuilt and reached its peak in AD 196-215. Hierapolis fell into decline in the 6th century. 

Today, the ruins of Hierapolis still draw visitors who come to swim in its mineral-rich pools.

The ancient springs

The ancient springs at Hierapolis have made the city a popular destination. The water is said to be good for rheumatism, cardiovascular diseases as well as skin and nerve diseases and visitors come to bathe in the antique pool, which was formed naturally after the collapse of a series of columns in an earthquake in A.D. 692 causing thermal water to accumulate. Its water temperature is fixed at 36 degrees Celsius.

Among the ruins of Hierapolis, a Roman bath with high-vaulted ceilings is particularly well preserved. It houses an archaeological museum that is home to ornate sarcophagi.

Karahayıt

Five kilometres north of Pamukkale lies the village of Karahayıt with its own natural wonder, only in colour. Iron and sulfur in the hot springs that flow here have coloured the rocks in bright reds, yellows and greens.

Visitors to Karahayıt can visit the hot springs in the Red-Water Wellness Park, where the water is known as a cure for rheumatism, sciatica, calcification in the bones, renal stone, neural system, dermatological diseases, muscle pains, gynaecological problems, varicose vein and infertility.

With such a unique combination of natural and man-made wonders, it’s no surprise that Pamukkale-Hierapolis was made a Unesco World Heritage site in 1988. 

Source: Daily Sabah

This article was first published on 10 February 2022.

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The post Pamukkale and Hierapolis: a paradise of history and wellbeing appeared first on Fethiye Times.

If you missed part one, you can read it here:

https://fethiyetimes.com/unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-turkey-part-one/

Sites on the World Heritage List (Cultural) – continued …

Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği

The stunning Divriği mosque and madrasa (seminary) complex has been declared by UNESCO to be one of the most important centres of cultural heritage in the world.

Its exceptional remoteness – two hours drive from Sivas – makes it one of the least visited sites. Originally a Byzantine stronghold, Divriği was taken by the Seljuks who commissioned the building with its lavishly carved portals. The Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği was added to the World Heritage List in 1985.

Hattusha: the Hittite Capital

Hattuşa was once a great and impressive city, defended by stone walls over 6km in length. Today the ruins consist mostly of re-constructed foundations, walls and a few rock carvings, but there are several more interesting features, including a tunnel and some fine hieroglyphic inscriptions preserved in situ.

The site itself is strangely atmospheric, almost eerie, exciting for its ruggedness and high antiquity rather than for its buildings or reliefs. Hattusha: the Hittite Capital was added to the World Heritage List in 1986.

Historic Areas of Istanbul

The Historic Areas of Istanbul is a group of sites in the capital district of Fatih in the city of Istanbul, Türkiye. 

From ancient ruins to 16th-century masterpieces, here are some of the must-see UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites and landmarks in Istanbul. These areas were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

• Sarayburnu
• Topkapi Palace
• Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia)
• Sultan Ahmed Mosque
• Hagia Irene
• Zeyrek Mosque
• Suleymaniye Mosque
• Little Hagia Sophia

Click on the link below for more information about these sites courtesy of viator.com

Must-See UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Istanbul

Nemrut Dağ

The 7,000-foot-tall mountain, Nemrut Dağı (Mount Nemrut), houses a historical site unlike any other in the country.

Notable for its ancient tomb and temple complex, which includes numerous massive statues of Greek and Persian gods, the stunning site was constructed by King Antiochus I in 62 BC and is today considered to be the most significant monument of the Kingdom of Commagene. Nemrut Dağ was added to the World Heritage List in 1987. 

You can read our previous article about Nemrut Dağ here.

Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük

Çatalhöyük is Türkiye’s most important neolithic and Bronze Age site and the earliest known city in the world.

The sophisticated tools, jewellery, and sculpture found here, and above all the wall paintings decorating the shrines, all dating from 6800 BC, indicate a remarkably advanced civilisation in Anatolia at this time. These items are now in the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, but the site is nevertheless impressive for its size. The Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyü was added to the World Heritage List in 2012.

Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape

Pergamon is, for the most part, a site of quiet classical splendour. Its ruins – especially the Asklepion and Acropolis – are so extraordinary that they were inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage List in June 2014, the 999th site in the world (and the 14th in Türkiye) to be so honoured.

The thermal springs of Pergamon made the city one of the principal centres of healing and beauty. One of the major thermal spas of Pergamon is within the Sanctuary of Asclepius (Güzellik Ilıcası). It is believed to have been commissioned by King Euamens of Pergamon, and its healing and beauty properties were enjoyed by Cleopatra.

Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex

The square Mosque with its single great dome and four slender minarets dominates the skyline of the former Ottoman capital of Edirne. Sinan, the most famous of Ottoman architects in the 16th century, considered the complex, which includes madrasas (Islamic schools), a covered market, a clock house, an outer courtyard and a library, to be his best work.

The interior decoration using Iznik tiles from the peak period of their production testifies to an art form that remains unsurpassed in this material. The complex is considered to be the most harmonious expression ever achieved of the Ottoman külliye, a group of buildings constructed around a mosque and managed as a single institution. Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex were added to the World Heritage List in 2011. 

Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia

This serial property is comprised of five hypostyle mosques built in Anatolia between the late 13th and mid-14th centuries, each located in a different province of present-day Türkiye. The unusual structural system of the mosques combines an exterior building envelope built of masonry with multiple rows of wooden interior columns (“hypostyle”) that support a flat wooden ceiling and the roof. These mosques are known for the skilful woodcarving and handiwork used in their structures, architectural fittings, and furnishings.

Wooden Hypostyle Mosques of Medieval Anatolia were added to the World heritage List in 2023.

Xanthos-Letoon

Xanthos, with its fine Roman theatre and Lycian pillar tombs, is a magnificent site, as befits the remains of Lycia’s greatest city.  Any tour of Xanthos should begin with the theatre and its extraordinary pair of pillar tombs, 8m high.

On the acropolis stand the remains of a Lycian royal palace, overlooking the river valley. On the other side of the car park is an extensive Byzantine basilica with mosaic flooring and further uphill is the necropolis, with a cluster of huge tombs dominated by another pillar tomb. At the top of the hill are the remains of a Byzantine monastery and a large Roman temple. Xanthos-Letoon was added to the World Heritage List in 1988.

Sites on the World Heritage List (Mixed)

Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia

Cappadocia is famous for its weird and wonderful natural rock formations and unique historical heritage. One of the best places to see these strange formations is the town of Göreme, which is located among a large number of tuff cones, termed fairy chimneys.

The fairy chimneys have been formed as the result of wind and water erosion of two different volcanic layers: a thick layer of tuff (consolidated volcanic ash) covered by a thin layer of basalt that is more resistant to erosion. Due to the ease of carving into the tuff, many of the fairy chimneys at Cappadocia have been hollowed out over the centuries to create houses, churches and storage facilities. Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia were added to the World Heritage List in 1985.

Hierapolis-Pamukkale

Deriving from springs in a cliff almost 200 m high overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have created at Pamukkale (Cotton Palace) an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced basins.

At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site. Hierapolis-Pamukkale was added to the World Heritage List in 1988.

You can read our previous article on Pamukkale and Hierapolis here.

There are 79 more sites in Türkiye on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, properties that are considered to be cultural and/or natural heritage of outstanding universal value and therefore suitable for inscription on the World Heritage List.

UNESCO World Heritage – Turkey

Sources: UNESCO/LonelyPlanet/Explorer Turkey/Viator

Featured image by Nichola Chapman

This article was first published on 16 December 2021 and updated on 14 November 2023.

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