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HIERAPOLIS  ANCIENT CITY  ( PAMUKKALE )

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It's about 20 km north of Denizli. It is called a Holy City in Archeological literature, because there were many temples and religious buildings in Hierapolis. The ancient city is situated between several historical areas. According to the ancient geographers, Strabon and Ptolemaios, Hierapolis was very close to Laodicea and Tripolis which was in Kario's Border. That's why it was a Phrygian City. There is no information about Hierapolis' history before the Hellenistic Era, but we know there was a city there before then. It's called Hierapolis because of its Mother goddess Cult.  

  Information about Hierapolis is limited. It is known that the king of Pergamum, Eumenes II, founded the city in 190 BC. It was named Hierapolis after the Amazon's Queen Hiera, the wife of Telephos, the founder of Pergamum. (Pergamum is also called Pergamon or Pergamos).
  Hierapolis was completely destroyed by the earthquake in 60 A.D. during the time of Roman Emperor Nero. During the reconstruction after the earthquake, the city lost its Hellenistic Style and became a typical Roman City. Right after the Roman period started, Hierapolis became an important center because of its commercial and religious position. In 80 A.D. St. Philip came to Hierapolis and was murdered by the Jewish inhabitants. Hierapolis was conquered by the Turks at the end of the 12th century A.D.

It's a great, well-preserved Greek style building, which is situated on a hillside. It is 91 meters high. The theater's construction was started in 62 A.D. after the earthquake of 60 AD in the Flavius era. However, it was not completed in the Hadrian era. It was finally completed in the Severus Era in 206 A.D. The cavea is separated into 7 parts by 8 steps, and there are 50 seats. The Diozoma (a kind of passage) is in the middle of the cavea with a vomitorium with 2 vaults.

There are 10 columns in front of the kingdom box and orchestra, which are 3.66 meters high. The front door of the scene has 5 gates and 6 niches. The niches are behind the columns which are decorated with oyster shells and among the columns adorned with statues. Many statues were found during the excavations. There are marble embossments on the wall which is behind the scene.

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There are marks that indicate that the bath's inner walls used to be covered with marble. Some of the walls and vaults of the bath and are still standing. The plan is typical of other Roman Baths. There is a large court at the entrance, large halls on both sides, a rectangular enclosed area, and the actual bathing area. Two large halls within the Palaestra (sports arena) were reserved for the Emperor's use and for celebrations. The ruins of the Great Bath Complex date to 2 A.D. The restored part of the building is used as a museum today.

The city walls were built in accordance with a law issued in 396 AD. similar to other cities of the Roman Empire with walls on the north, south and east sides of the city. 24 square towers are placed along the city walls. There are 4 entrances, two with monumental gates and two more small gates. The monumental gates are situated on the main street. Unfortunately, most of the city walls were destroyed by earthquakes.

  One of the largest buildings of Hierapolis Ancient Town was the Roman Bath. Since 1984 this building has been used as the Hierapolis Archeology Museum. Alongside works of art from the excavations at Hierapolis are finds from Laodicea, Colossae, Tripolis, Attuda and other towns of the Lycus (Çürüksu) Valley.  In addition, the museum has a large section devoted to artifacts found at Beycesultan Höyük that includes some of the most beautiful examples of Bronze Age crafts.
  Material which has come the surface in the Caria, Pisidia and Lydia regions are also on display in the museum. The museum's exhibition space consists of the three closed areas of the Hierapolis Bath and the open areas on the eastern side which are known to have been the library and the gymnasium. Many of the large exhibits and all the small exhibits are shown in rooms A, B and C that were the three closed sections of the bath. Marble and other stone artifacts are exhibited in the garden.

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