The ancient theatre of HierapolisNorthern bath
Frontillis Street and the public latrines
Frontillis Street and the public latrines
The Demon Hole or Plutonium, now covered up so as not to hurt the tourism
The 2km long necropolis
This ancient city perched on top of Permukkale was built in honour of Apollo (Greek god) about 2500 years ago. The city became a place of healing due to the magical properties of the waters from Permukkale and 3 enormous baths were built in Hierapolis to serve this need. The thermal springs that exist here have varying degrees of temperature from 15 ۫ C to 100۫۫ C and some of the springs release pure carbon dioxide, thus suffocating anyone in too close a proximity. One of these springs is at the base of the Temple of Apollo and is called the Plutonium or Demon’s Hole.
Hierapolis is said to have the best preserved ancient theatre in the world, able to seat 10 000+ people… the orchestra pit was converted into a huge swimming pool type system to cater for the aquatic theatre somewhere AD.
The Agora of Hierapolis (market area) was a square of over 240m long and 100+ wide and the main buildings on the eastern side of the Agora were 20m in height, now little of it remains. The city (what remains) is far bigger and widespread than Ephesus and you are free to roam where you like in amongst the ruins and unearthed houses peering out the ground. The colonnaded street runs 1km north to south, parallel to the plateau’s edge and ends in monumental portals, which marked the end of the city boundaries. The street although a bit bumpy due to previous earthquakes is still beautifully intact and the comprehensive sewerage system that ran beneath the streets is also visible at places. The city’s necropolis, which is the largest in Asia Minor at 2km long, is what greeted any visitor to the city 2000 years ago. The over 1000 tombs (some containing over 30 people’s remains) and sarcophagi are incredible, it’s here that you really get an idea of how many people must have inhabited this area…and how many of them were wealthy enough to have afforded to be buried along the highway to the city. It was also here in Hierapolis that St Philip and his son came to spread Christianity, he was martyd there and they subsequently built a church named after him – it’s in ruin now, but a beautiful design. The church is a round domed building with an octagonal internal design surrounded by a square outside wall, which housed rooms for pilgrims.
Hierapolis is another not to be missed site perched where it is as the crown on the “cotton castle” and much of it is still being unearthed, which leaves so much to the imagination.
Hierapolis is said to have the best preserved ancient theatre in the world, able to seat 10 000+ people… the orchestra pit was converted into a huge swimming pool type system to cater for the aquatic theatre somewhere AD.
The Agora of Hierapolis (market area) was a square of over 240m long and 100+ wide and the main buildings on the eastern side of the Agora were 20m in height, now little of it remains. The city (what remains) is far bigger and widespread than Ephesus and you are free to roam where you like in amongst the ruins and unearthed houses peering out the ground. The colonnaded street runs 1km north to south, parallel to the plateau’s edge and ends in monumental portals, which marked the end of the city boundaries. The street although a bit bumpy due to previous earthquakes is still beautifully intact and the comprehensive sewerage system that ran beneath the streets is also visible at places. The city’s necropolis, which is the largest in Asia Minor at 2km long, is what greeted any visitor to the city 2000 years ago. The over 1000 tombs (some containing over 30 people’s remains) and sarcophagi are incredible, it’s here that you really get an idea of how many people must have inhabited this area…and how many of them were wealthy enough to have afforded to be buried along the highway to the city. It was also here in Hierapolis that St Philip and his son came to spread Christianity, he was martyd there and they subsequently built a church named after him – it’s in ruin now, but a beautiful design. The church is a round domed building with an octagonal internal design surrounded by a square outside wall, which housed rooms for pilgrims.
Hierapolis is another not to be missed site perched where it is as the crown on the “cotton castle” and much of it is still being unearthed, which leaves so much to the imagination.
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