Pamukkale, Türkiye. Where is the unique healing resort located? What is Pamukkale

Pamukkale — famous resort in Turkey. The cliffs of Pamukkale reach a height of about 100 m. White Rock Pamukkale is one of the geological wonders of the world. The hot springs on the volcanic plateau erupt, and a stream of water with a temperature of 35°C flows down the slopes. Potassium cools and turns into dazzling white travertine deposits. unusual shapes, which look like swimming pools.

Pamukkale means “cotton fortress” or “cotton castle” in Turkish.

According to legend, the white rocks are cotton crops that were left to dry by the great titans. For more than a thousand years, the terraces of Pamukkale have grown out of the rock.

Due to the potential for damage to the rock's soft, porous surface, only a few terraces are open to visitors, but there are paths that lead around the rock. Once upon a time, it was possible to take a bath here in naturally formed lakes. IN Lately due to the influx of tourists, Pamukkale was placed under protection international organization UNESCO. And now it is only allowed to walk barefoot, along a narrow path. The surface of the hills is lumpy, so walking barefoot has a massage effect on the soles of your feet.

At the top of the Pamukkale rock, for a fee, you can plunge into a thermal bath, which is a kind of holy (healing) spring. While swimming, you can see the water bubbling up from underground. Nervous disorders, rheumatism, skin diseases, physical exhaustion and digestive problems were treated with the help of mineral waters. ABOUT healing properties water on the top of the rock in Pamukkale was known thousands of years ago, as evidenced by the ruins of ancient Hierapolis located around. Near the thermal springs there is a sacred grotto of the underground god Pluto. The entrance to the grotto is blocked by a grate, but near it you can hear water running and the whistling of poisonous gas coming out of the ground.

Composition of water in Pamukkale:

• calcium - 349.1 mg/kg;
• magnesium - 135.2 mg/kg;
• soda - 189.2 mg/kg;
• chlorine - 42.8 mg/kg;
• sulfate - 921.3 mg/kg;
• bicarbonate - 999.6 mg/kg;
• nitrites (less than) - 0.003 mg/kg;
• nitrates - 0.06 mg/kg;
• ammonium

Since 1988, Pamukkale and the ruins of the city of Hierapolis have been included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Except "cotton strength" Pamukkale resort has others interesting places. These include, for example, healing springs Karahaita. Karahait itself is located 7 km from Pamukkale and is famous for its “red water” springs. The water in them is not white, but red, and the temperature is much hotter than in the springs of Pamukkale - 60°C. However, the water from these sources is almost healthier than the water from Pamukkale. These sources cure severe pain, also help those suffering from heart disease, various diseases of the spine and joints. It is useful for patients with arteriosclerosis and those suffering from skin diseases.

Speaking about the Turkish resort of Pamukkale, one cannot fail to mention the famous Cleopatra's pool, when immersed in which the body becomes covered with small bubbles. It has long been believed that after swimming in Cleopatra's pool you can look 10 years younger.

An amazing snow-white miracle called Pamukkale is located in the southwestern part of the Turkish Republic. At first glance, this is a small provincial village, the name of which, translated into Russian, sounds like “cotton castle”. But the special uniqueness of this village is provided by the ancient geothermal springs, the appearance of which is amazing.

Origin of Pamukkale Springs

Ever since Ancient Rome, when geothermal resorts for patricians already existed there, and Pamukkale itself was called Hierapolis, hot springs saturated with mineral salts rose from the bowels of the earth. The water gradually filled the existing terraces, cooled, and along the edges of the terraces a white coating, consisting of calcium crystals. Over the next centuries, this coating turned into travertines and real salt cascades of snow-white color, resembling icebergs from a distance.

Pamukkale today

The term “travertine” refers to a rock that was formed by the mineralization of calcium carbonate. So Pamukkale is not easy to impress with its appearance natural complex, but also a resort with healing mineral waters.

People with diseases of the heart and musculoskeletal system come here. They have the opportunity to take a dip in one of several pools built specifically for those wishing to immerse themselves in mineral waters. The natural-historical complex itself includes 17 geothermal springs with different temperatures water – from 30 to 100°C. The most famous of them (and allowed for swimming) is Cleopatra's pool.

But since Pamukkale is on the list of protected natural sites, not all sources have access for tourists. On those slopes where entry is still allowed, there is a fee. Excursions are carried out along specially laid paths to prevent the destruction of the salt cascades.

Ruins of Hierapolis

The village of Pamukkale is known for another interesting place for history buffs. These are ruins ancient city Hierapolis. It was founded in the 2nd century BC. But by the middle of the 14th century AD. a series of earthquakes completely destroyed the city. Archaeologists began excavating it only in 1887. Now on the territory of Hierapolis there is the largest Necropolis in Turkey, as well as the largest ancient theater - the Amphitheater. You can also admire the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and the martyrium of St. Philip. Since 1988, Pamukkale has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It's already 20 s extra years Türkiye is a confident leader among tourist destinations around the world. The Mediterranean coast of the country is mainly in demand, although in last years also loved by numerous travelers. Beach holiday Turkey is truly magnificent, but few people know about the alternative pastime here. But only 120 km from Aegean coast, at the northern foot of Mount Karji, is located a real crossroads of times - the city of Denizli. Here, in the most bizarre way, in a close embrace, antiquity is intertwined in the face historical monuments with modern civilization and oriental flavor. And besides excursions, the city will be happy to offer you a spa-style holiday - mineral pools and traditional hammams will not leave anyone indifferent. But its main pearl is hidden 18 km to the north.

How to get there?

Just 15 minutes by car along the excellent Antalya-Izmir highway, surrounded by picturesque mountains and cliffs - and welcome to the new wonder of nature, Pamukkale. A truly stunning picture will appear before your eyes - a snow-white mountain with flowing turquoise streams against the background of an azure sky! Almost every tourist guide says about Pamukkale that it is one of the most popular. And indeed, the so-called Cotton Castle amazes with its natural, miraculous beauty.

Pamukkale - what is it?

First of all, Pamukkale, reviews of which are so enthusiastic, is a huge thermal pool of natural origin. In spring, hot streams of highly calcified minerals flow from the depths of the earth. mineral water, cascading down. As the water evaporates, it leaves in its path strangely frozen calcium crystals of dazzling white color.

Pamukkale's travertines can make even the most talented and skillful architect envy. And since there are a lot of thermal springs in the surrounding area, this area has become famous as a spa resort.

Why Cotton Castle?

In absolutely all guidebooks, Pamukkale is also called the Cotton Castle, since this is how this word is translated from Turkish. The mountain owes this name, firstly, to its snow-white hue, and secondly, to the history of the nearby town of Denizli. Since ancient times, Denizli has been famous for its cotton, which was grown there for the needs of the whole country, and even for export.

History of Pamukkale

Since ancient times it has been known about Pamukkale that it is a unique thermal balneological resort. That's why it's located nearby antique city Hierapolis. The Romans built it in close proximity to a hot mineral spring. The oldest thermal pool of Hierapolis still exists, surrounded by the skeletons of marble columns and the ruins of the ancient Roman Temple of Apollo.

The water temperature here is approximately equal to the temperature of the human body (35-36 ° C), so you will not be able to freshen up. Along the perimeter, lush greenery creates pleasant shade and coolness. The size of the pool allows up to 200 people to be in it at the same time so that they do not interfere with each other. In addition, the pool is divided into two parts - shallow and deeper. Local residents tell legends that Cleopatra herself visited here more than once and enjoyed immersing herself in the healing waters of the mineral spring. By the way, you can follow the example of the queen and plunge into the pool, of course, not for free. It costs about 30 to visit

Pamukkale - excursion or independent travel?

What to prefer in this case? on the map, almost every tourist knows. You can get here by private car, bus, train or plane. For example, when traveling from Antalya or Marmaris to Izmir, Ephesus or Kusadasi, you can stay overnight in Pamukkale. Hotels here are very diverse both in terms of pricing policy and level of service. Alternatively, you can take a day trip to Pamukkale from Ephesus or Izmir.

But even if you are not a fan of independent travel, you can still visit Pamukkale. An excursion here can be organized from almost anywhere in Turkey, and even the longest journey will be easy and comfortable thanks to local buses and the quality of Turkish highways. Distance to Pamukkale from any popular beach resort is no more than 300-350 km. Depending on the direction, you can drive along a breathtaking mountain serpentine or along a pleasant and easy bed of a calm river. An excursion to Pamukkale from Kemer or Antalya should optimally be two days, combining Pamukkale and Ephesus. Here you'll spend an enjoyable day exploring the vast ancient Roman ruins of Hierapolis, visiting the largest ancient amphitheater, viewing exhibits in the Archaeological Museum, taking photos by the picturesque travertines and cooling off in Cleopatra's Pool. In addition, a visit to Pamukkale can be combined with Laodocia or the city of Aphrodite - the goddess of love.

Neighborhoods of Pamukkale

Almost all tourists who have visited Turkey at least once have heard about Pamukkale, that it is the most beautiful Cotton Castle. But few people know how many more beauties are hidden in its surroundings. Just two kilometers west of the Denizli-Pamukkale highway is Laodokia. Spend at least a couple of hours on this ancient town - you won’t regret it. If you plan to spend several days walking around the surrounding area, we recommend staying in the town of Pamukkale - there are nice hotels here, each of which, by the way, has its own thermal pool. There are more than 30 of them. The highest ratings from tourists were received by Hal-Tur Hotel, Venus Hotel, Sinter Terasse House Hotel, Melrose Viewpoint Hotel, Ozbay Hotel.

Pamukkale plateau

As we have already said, Pamukkale is a small, only 300 m high, mountain with a plateau at the top, where the ruins of Hierapolis and Cleopatra’s pool are located. There are only three roads leading to the plateau, each of which requires you to pay an entrance fee. It is optimal to go up and down from different sides in order to fully appreciate the beauty of Pamukkale. The excursion will cost you an average of $10.

In the early 90s of the previous century, local authorities decided to change the development strategy of the Pamukkale resort in order to increase the flow of tourists from abroad. But as a result of an incorrectly developed strategy, the number of tourists, on the contrary, decreased, so to beginning of the XXI centuries, almost nothing was said about Pamukkale in tourist guides.

If you have decided to go to independent travel and explore Pamukkale without the help of a guide, the following recommendations will be useful to you. If you drive into the city by private car, you can see that local residents on scooters around you they actively gesticulate and try in every possible way to attract your attention. The first thought that comes to the mind of a gullible tourist is doubt: maybe there is something wrong with the car? In fact, as soon as you stop and get out of the car, the locals will immediately try to push some nonsense into your hands and begin to persuade you to buy it. They will ask if you need a hotel, restaurant or souvenir shop, and if necessary, they will certainly escort you to your destination, for which, of course, they will take their “commission”. Whether this will affect the price you pay is unknown, but it certainly won’t be any lower!

Prohibitions

Since Pamukkale is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, it is protected by local and international legislation. Thus, the road leading to the terraces from the southeast is closed to visitors. Excursion trail here is marked and limited, and access to the terraces is prohibited in order to preserve the flow of water, the color and structure of the travertine. Separately installed and designated places where visitors can swim in thermal waters.

There are many unique places on Earth that can easily be called the eighth wonder of the world. There are many such corners in the territory modern Turkey. If you do not take into account objects created by man - ancient cities, powerful fortresses and majestic monuments - and consider only natural formations, then Pamukkale will be able to leave all its competitors far behind.

Pamukkale - what is it?

This amazing place does not have ancient ruins or historical monuments, but Pamukkale has huge natural terraces that were formed by thermal springs, or rather by the calcium salts they contain.

For thousands of years (and according to some sources, millions), seventeen geothermal springs, the water temperature of which ranged from +43°C to 100°C, slowly carried water along the steep slopes of the mountain. They rose through the rocks, dissolved mineral salts and brought them to the surface. Then the water flowed down the slope, evaporating along the way due to the considerable temperature. The salts gradually crystallized and over time formed snow-white reservoirs-terraces with mineral walls - travertines. This process is in many ways similar to the formation of cave stalactites and, accordingly, high speed is not different.

Where is Pamukkale in Turkey?

Many of our compatriots have been or at least heard about this unique place. For those who hear this name for the first time, we will tell you that the city of Pamukkale (Turkey), where the famous resort is located, is located in the western part of the country, 250 km from Antalya and 20 km from the town of Denizli. Usually tourists come here by regular bus, which leaves Antalya. The journey takes approximately five hours.

Pamukkale: description

Today, many of our compatriots visit resorts in Turkey. Pamukkale is not known to everyone. In addition, it is located quite far from popular vacation spots. In that amazing place everything shines so much in the sun that it is impossible to take your eyes off this picture. A calcium crystal (even unprocessed) has many facets. Over the course of many millennia, nature has created this grandiose massif, reminiscent of a magical castle with a snow-white terrace.

The water flowing from the mountain created a system of reservoirs with limestone walls. Unique medical resort Pamukkale has been used in Turkey since ancient times. And today it interests many travelers.

Every year, tourists from all over the world come to Pamukkale (Turkey), where this health resort is located. Here you can combine treatment with examination large quantity sights that can be seen during the “breaks” between procedures.

Medicinal properties of avengers

The water temperature of the springs is 36 degrees. It includes:

• calcium,
• soda,
• magnesium,
• sulfate,
• chlorine,
• nitrite,
• bicarbonate,
• ammonium,
• nitrate.

Pamukkale treats diseases such as rheumatism, paralysis, hemorrhoids, hypertension, rickets, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, skin, eyes, nervous system, ulcers and burns.

In addition, therapeutic mud is used, which is used to treat the musculoskeletal system and reduce weight. They have a unique ability to cleanse the body of toxins, tone and strengthen the body.

In Pamukkale (Turkey), where the famous resort is located, weight loss courses are organized. Experienced instructors will tell you about the types of classical massage, you can take paraffin, flower and mud baths, and do gymnastics. Vacationers are offered effective rejuvenation courses: anti-stress, paraffin, solarium, fitness.

There is an entrance fee to the resort. It is open to tourists around the clock. Swimming is prohibited here, but most tourists ignore the ban and dive into the travertines. Their depth does not exceed one meter. For swimming, there is Cleopatra's pool, which is located in the ancient (now destroyed) city of Hierapolis. It was built in ancient times on a thermal spring, the water of which looks and tastes like Narzan.

Cleopatra's Source

In Pamukkale (Turkey), where the famous resort is located, there is another miracle called “Cleopatra’s Spring”. This is a spring that comes out of the ground and forms a healing pool. Many people know how Queen Cleopatra took care of herself and preserved her beauty - she became a symbol of natural feminine attractiveness.

The nature in the mountains of this sunny country seems to take us back to those times and allows us to plunge into this miraculous pool. The water in it warms up above thirty degrees. An amazing feature is that it bubbles a little, and the effect of visiting a jacuzzi appears. In some areas, the depth of the pool reaches ten meters, but the water is so clear that you can see the bottom of the pool, on which elements of Roman columns and architectural parts of structures have been preserved - all this immerses you in the atmosphere of antiquity and magic.

Many women note that after they took healing baths in Cleopatra's spring, they felt a surge of energy, their skin became elastic and smooth. The Therm complex, where the spring is located, has been well preserved since ancient times: one gets the feeling that now the queen will come here and amaze everyone with her beauty.

Many experts claim that the placebo effect is largely at work here, but it is impossible to deny that the local water is rich in minerals.

Resort Features

Turkish architects made slight changes to the appearance of the pool in order to somewhat enhance the effect on tourists. I must say that they succeeded. The pool is not a single whole; it has “rays” - streams that extend from it. They were decorated with original wooden bridges, which were comfortably located under the canopy of exotic trees.

Pamukkale has its own theater. It was very successfully restored, preserving the main signs of antiquity. Today, tourists enjoy attending concerts and festivals held here.

For those who are more interested pristine nature, laid walking routes in the vicinity of Pamukkale. Here you can see incredible mountain formations, huge open spaces, mountain streams and “water bowls” in which you can swim on a hot day.

Excursions

For Russian tourists, excursions to Turkey have become commonplace. You can visit Pamukkale as part of an excursion group departing from popular resorts such as Alanya, Kemer, Side, Marmaris and Beldibi on comfortable buses.

The cost of an excursion to Pamukkale is determined by the star rating of the hotel where you are going to stay overnight and the duration of the tour. The price of a one-day excursion is almost two times cheaper than a two-day tour. And the price of a double room in Pamukkale 4* and 5* hotels differs only by 10-15 dollars.

The cost of the excursion largely depends on the travel agency. A street agent can sell you a one-day tour for 50-60 dollars, while for hotel companies such as Coral, Pegas, Tez Tour, the cost ranges from 70-80 dollars.