Hierapolis is a well-preserved Greco-Roman city in the ancient region of Phrygia, and now in the Denizli Province of Türkiye. It was part of a three-city group including Hierapolis, Laodicea, and Colossae, in the Lycus River Valley.
Hierapolis sits atop a cliff covered with snow-white calcium-rich mineral deposits and pools of clear blue water. These mineral deposits are called “Pamukkale,” which in Turkish means “Cotton Castle.” Hierapolis and Pamukkale are usually mentioned together because they are in the same place.
Hierapolis
The name “Hierapolis” can be translated as “sacred city.” It was likely given that name because of the many temples there.
Because of its location on a site with hot mineral springs, Hierapolis was a thermal spa resort and healing center. People around the Greek and Roman world traveled to Hierapolis, hoping these waters would cure their ailments.
Hierapolis also had a cave, with a temple above it, called The Plutonium. The cave was believed to be the entrance to the underworld, the dominion of the Roman god Pluto (Greek equivalent: Hades), because it emitted carbon dioxide gas that killed anyone who entered it and any animal that wandered into it or bird that flew into it. Eventually, people began sacrificing animals to Pluto by tying them with a rope and throwing them into the cave, where they would die, then pulling them back out.
Hierapolis was also famous for its textiles, especially those made of wool, and for its dyes, especially a red dye made from the madder root.
Hierapolis was destroyed twice by earthquakes, one in 17 AD and one in 60 AD. Rebuilding was done in the Roman style, so the buildings you will see today are mainly from the Roman period.
Pamukkale
Over thousands of years, the calcium-rich waters of Hierapolis flowed down the 200-meter (656-foot) high cliff below as the minerals precipitated and the water evaporated, forming layer upon layer of white cascades and pools of clear blue water.
“Pamukkale” also refers to the modern town below the cascades and across the main road.
History of Hierapolis
Christian History of Hierapolis
Antiochus III (reigned 223—187 BC), the King of Pergamum and ruler of most of western Asia Minor, had moved around 2,000 Jewish families to Hierapolis and nearby cities from Mesopotamia, giving Hierapolis a sizeable Jewish population. Many Jewish inscriptions, menorahs, and other Jewish symbols have been found on sarcophagi in the north and south acropolises. In the first century AD, many Jews in Hierapolis converted to Christianity.
The Apostle Philip
Hierapolis is also associated with the Apostle Philip. According to early Christian writings, Philip lived in Hierapolis and was martyred there in 80 AD. You can still visit Philip’s martyrium and tomb today.
The Apostle Paul
There is no record of the Apostle Paul visiting Hierapolis during his missionary journeys. But he mentions the city in his epistle to the church in nearby Colossae. He refers to a man named Epaphrus, who was working hard for the Christians in Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. Epaphrus is likely responsible for spreading the Christian faith and starting churches in all three cities.
Biblical Reference
Colossians 4:13—14
Where is Hierapolis and Pamukkale?
Hierapolis and Pamukkale are located in southwestern Türkiye, near the modern town of Pamukkale, in Denizli Province.
Note: If you’re on-site at Hierapolis, you can use your mobile device with the navigable version of this map to see exactly where you are in relation to the various buildings. CLICK HERE for the large Google map.
What to See at Hierapolis
Hierapolis has two entrances, one at the north end of the city and one at the south end. This guide assumes you will enter from the south end and go north.
South Byzantine Gate
The South Byzantine Gate of Hierapolis was built at the end of the fourth century AD during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I (reigned 379—395 AD). It was built simultaneously with the North Byzantine Gate, one kilometer (1,094 yards) north. The two gates were part of a redesign of the city’s defensive walls.
Like its northern counterpart, the Southern Byzantine Gate straddled the main north-south Frontinus Street and was flanked by two square defensive towers. It has a low, square opening with a lintel, supporting an arch at the top. The stones used to build the gate came from the agora, which an earthquake had destroyed.
The road outside the gate went to Laodicea, ten kilometers (6.2 miles) south, and Colossae, 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south.
South Gate Gymnasium
Just inside the South Byzantine Gate are the remains of a gymnasium, built after the earthquake of 60 AD. It is unexcavated, but you can see a row of five Doric columns and two stumps that were probably part of its palaestra.
Church with Pillars
Built in the seventh century AD, this cruciform (cross-shaped) church had three naves separated by stone pillars. It had a central dome and probably an arched roof. A baptismal section and a ritual section were on the sides.
Pamukkale Cascades Viewpoint
This viewpoint provides a breathtaking panoramic view of the Pamukkale mineral cascades and the modern town of Pamukkale.
Archaeology Museum (Roman Bath)
The Hierapolis Archaeology Museum is inside a Roman bathhouse built in the second century AD. It had the typical bath features, including an underground (hypocaust) heating system, hot, warm, and cold rooms, and additional rooms for socializing, athletic training, lectures, dressing, and storage. It also had a palaestra of 36 x 52 meters (118 x 171 feet).
The museum displays archaeological finds from Hierapolis, Laodicea, Colossae, and other nearby ancient cities.
Tombs and Statues Gallery
- Sarcophagi, gravestones and funeral stelae
- Statues, including those of the god Pluto (Hades), Tyche, Dionysus, Pan, Asklepius, Demeter, and a priestess of the Egyptian goddess, Isis.
Small Artifacts Gallery
Displays items from several archaeological sites in Denizli province from civilizations spanning 4,000 years, including:
- Coins
- Jewelry
- Medical instruments
- Pottery and glassware
- Lamps
Theater Gallery
Displays reliefs that were found in the Roman theater, including those depicting:
- Apollo
- Artemis
- The delights of Dionysus
- The coronation of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus
- Hades (Pluto)’s abduction of Persephone
- Leto
- Sphinxes
Sacred Pool (Cleopatra’s Pool)
In Roman times, the sacred pool was part of the bath complex that today includes the museum. It attracted visitors from around the Roman Empire seeking relief from various ailments that the waters of Hierapolis were said to cure. According to legend, Cleopatra, Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (reigned 51—30 BC), bathed in this pool when she visited Hierapolis.
Porticoes surrounded the Sacred Pool, whose columns fell into it and where they remain today. The sacred pool’s water temperature is a constant, year-round 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit). It is open to the public for bathing.
Plutonium
The Plutonium, also called “Pluto’s Gate” or “The Gate of Hades,” is on the south side of the Temple of Apollo. It is built around a cave, just large enough for one person to enter, that emits carbon dioxide gas that kills any person or animal that enters it.
Before the Greeks arrived, the native Phrygians associated this cave with the Anatolian mother goddess Cybele and built a temple on the site. The Greeks then associated it with Hades, and the Romans, with Pluto. On the cave arch, you can still read “Ploutoni kai Kore,” which means “Pluto and Kore.” Kore was another name for Persephone, whom Pluto abducted and forced to be his wife and queen of the underworld for eternity.
Animals were sacrificed to Pluto by being tied with a rope and thrown into the cave. After they died, they were pulled back out.
The temple above the cave featured statues of Pluto and Cerberus, the vicious three-headed dog that protected the gates of Hell. A copy of that statue is there now, with the original on display in the archaeology museum.
At some point, an enormous tub was created in front of the cave, where the heavier-than-air carbon dioxide would settle toward the bottom. Runnoffs were provided to keep the level of the gas in check. Around the tub was a small theater where spectators could watch the effects of the gas on animals thrown into it. They could buy small animals, such as sparrows, and try it out for themselves.
Part of the show involved the temple eunuchs, who would wow the crowd by entering the cave and reemerging, unaffected. Their reemergence was offered as proof that they had divine protection from Pluto. What the eunuchs really had was a knowledge of where there were pockets of breathable air, and where they had to hold their breath. After being amazed by the performance and convinced that divine powers were at work, the spectators could pay to have a question asked to the oracle at the next-door Temple of Apollo.
Once Christianity became the dominant religion of Hierapolis, the Plutonium was closed off with a stone wall. An earthquake destroyed the Plutonium Temple in the sixth century, and its stone was used for other buildings or burned to make mortar. The cave still emits carbon dioxide, so it is blocked off and marked with a warning sign.
Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo, the principal deity of Hierapolis and god of prophecy, dates from the Hellenistic period. The only part of the temple remaining is a platform at the top of a flight of stairs. The platform is believed to be from the Hellenistic period, while the rest of the temple was rebuilt in Roman style during the third century AD, using stone blocks from the previous temple.
The temple’s foundation, measuring 18 x 13.5 meters (59 x 44.3 feet), sits on a natural rock shelf in the rear. It had a pronaos and a cella, probably six columns on its front. The temple and the Plutonium were destroyed in an earthquake in the sixth century AD, and their stone was used for new building projects.
Temple Nymphaeum
Inside the sacred area in front of the Temple of Apollo, the Temple Nymphaeum was a public fountain and a water distribution point that used a system of pipes to provide water to nearby houses. Built in the second century AD, it had a U-shaped plan with a back wall and wings on the sides with niches for statues, including those of priestesses displayed in the museum. Water from pipes in the back wall cascaded into a large tub in the front. On both sides of the nymphaeum were shops.
Peristyle House
The Peristyle House is also called the House of the Ionic Capitals because the capitals of its columns are Ionic, that is, in a style with cylindrical rolls on opposing sides. This villa was built in the second century AD and probably belonged to one of Hierapolis’s aristocratic families. It had a central square courtyard with a multicolored stone floor displaying geometric patterns. A new living area and a reception hall with a mosaic floor were added during the fourth century AD.
Roman Theater
The Roman theater, built during the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian (117—138 AD), is one of the most impressive structures in Hierapolis. The stone used to build it came from the earlier Hellenistic theater, around 700 meters (765 yards) to the north-northwest, which was destroyed in an earthquake. The Roman builders maintained the Greek style of theater construction, with the cavea, or seating area, embedded into the natural slope of the hill that supported it.
The cavea of the theater was 100 meters (328 feet) wide and had a capacity of 12,000 to 15,000 spectators. This is larger than it should have been based on city population estimates, and accounted for by the many visitors who came to Hierapolis for its curative waters, temples, and the Plutonium. It had 50 rows of seats, divided into upper and lower sections by a diazoma (wide central aisle). Eight kerkides, or vertical stepped aisles, divided the cavea into nine vertical sections. The center of the first row of seats, nearest the stage, had a massive semicircular box seat for the emperor or other honored guests and their entourage. Spectators would enter and exit the cavea through two large arched vomitoria (main entrances and exits) flanking the stage’s sides.
The orchestra, the semicircular area between the stage and the cavea, was 20 meters (65.6 feet) in diameter, and had a two-meter (6.6-foot) wall separating it from the cavea.
The Hierapolis theater was renovated during the reign of Roman Emperor Septimus Severus (193—211 AD). The limestone seating rows were replaced with marble ones. The stage was raised, and the building expanded into a three-story colonnaded one flanked by two side buildings. Friezes depicting mythological stories, including one of Severus and his family in a procession with the gods, were added. These are now in the Theater Gallery of the Archaeology Museum.
A two-meter (6.6-foot) wall was added between the orchestra and the cavea so the orchestra could be used for gladiatorial combat and wild animal fights, while protecting the spectators from danger.
Roman Emperor Constantinus (reigned 337—361) further modified the orchestra to be filled with water for mock sea battles.
After seeing the theater, take the path going west to the Martyrium of Saint Philip.
Octagonal Baths
On the path to the Martyrium of Saint Philip, after passing the ruined Gate of Saint Philip and crossing the Bridge of Saint Philip, an octagonal bath building is on the left.
Like the Martyrium of Saint Philip, it is an octagon (with eight sides), referencing the number eight, which in early Christianity symbolized resurrection and eternity. Pilgrims used this bath to refresh and cleanse themselves before climbing the steps to the top of the hill and visiting the Martyrium, church, and tomb of Saint Philip. It had the usual features of a bath, including hot, warm, and cold rooms, with a hypocaust (underground) heating system, and rooms for changing and storage.
The building was destroyed by an earthquake in the seventh century AD, but the octagonal foundation and portions of the walls remain.
Martyrium, Church, and Tomb of Saint Philip
Writings of the early Christians say that Saint Philip, or Philip the Apostle, moved to Hierapolis from Jerusalem with his daughters before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. He is said to have been martyred on this spot by being hanged upside down by his ankles from a tree.
Martyrium
The martyrium was built in the early fifth century AD. It was not a church, since it had no altar, nor a burial site, since it had no tomb. It served as a place of pilgrimage and ceremony to honor Saint Philip.
Like the bath below, the martyrium’s construction was based on the number eight, representing resurrection and eternity in early Christian times. In its center is an octagon measuring 20 meters (66 feet) in diameter. It had a wooden dome covered in lead tiles. Eight rooms extend outward from each of the octagon’s eight sides. The center of the octagon is thought to be where Philip’s body was kept.
An arcade supported by columns surrounds the eight rooms. The arches are marked with crosses. The exterior wall of the Martyrium is square.
Church and Tomb of Saint Philip
Forty meters (130 feet) south of the martyrium is a fourth—or fifth-century AD church built around a tomb believed to be Saint Philip’s. The church burned down in the sixth century (burn marks are still present on the columns). After the fire, Saint Philip’s remains were taken to Constantinople and placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles (which no longer exists). Later, they were probably taken to Rome.
There is a fountain in the center of the square between the martyrium and the church. It is made of stone blocks and has a recess at the bottom into which water poured. Pilgrims used this fountain for refreshment or a ritual cleanup before entering the martyrium or the church.
Besides being a vital part of Christian history, the hill on which the martyrium stands provides a spectacular panoramic view of Hierapolis and the Lycus Valley.
Walk down the steps to the bottom of the hill, to the south end of the excavated portion of the main Frontinus Street.
Cathedral
A large sixth-century AD cathedral is East of the excavated south end of Frontinus Street. It has three naves, separated by two rows of columns, and an apse with a semicircular bench for clergy.
Frontinus Street
The main north-south Frontinus Street was named after Roman Proconsul Julius Frontinus (lived 40—103 AD). Frontinus was responsible for constructing Frontinus Street and the Gate of Domitian, the northernmost gate straddling Frontinus Street.
Frontinus Street is around 1,500 meters (1,640 yards) long and 13.5 meters (44 feet) wide, and runs from the Gate of Domitian in the north to the South Byzantine Gate. Only the north half of Frontinus Street has been excavated. On both sides of the street were six-meter (20-foot) wide colonnaded and covered walkways lined with shops, public buildings, and monuments.
Built according to the Hippodamian city plan, three-meter (ten-foot) wide side streets intersected Frontinus Street at right angles, forming a city-block grid. It still bears ruts made by the wheels of ancient carts.
Nymphaeum of the Tritons
Although little remains today, the Nymphaeum of the Tritons was once a massive public fountain on the east side of Frontinus Street. This nymphaeum and the Apollo Temple Nymphaeum were the primary water sources for the people of Hierapolis.
According to an inscription, the Nymphaeum of the Tritons was built during the reign of Roman Emperor Alexander Severus (222—235 AD). It had a 70-meter (230-foot) wide facade with a frontal basin that poured water into five smaller basins along the street. On each side were two-story colonnaded wings that are still standing. It was decorated with statues and decorative reliefs. One relief depicted the Greek god Triton using a conch shell as a horn. Another depicted the Greeks and the Amazons in combat. These are now in the archaeology museum.
North Byzantine Gate
The North Byzantine Gate of Hierapolis was built at the end of the fourth century AD during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I (379—395 AD), simultaneously with the South Byzantine Gate, which is one kilometer (1,094 yards) south. It was part of a redesign of the city’s defensive walls. Stones to build the two gates came from the agora, which was destroyed in an earthquake.
The gate spans the excavated northern part of Frontinus Street. It is not the northernmost gate of Hierapolis. The northernmost gate is the much older Gate of Domitian (also called the Frontinus Gate), 170 meters (186 yards) north.
It is of the same design as the South Byzantine Gate, with square towers on its sides. An arched lintel tops the gate opening, and a cross inside a circle is carved into the arch.
Agora
Little remains of the second-century AD agora, a massive shopping district and social center on the east side of Frontinus Street, but it is still the largest agora ever discovered, measuring 177 x 280 meters (580 feet x 920 feet).
On its eastern side (the back side) was a 20-meter (65-foot) high two-story covered and colonnaded stoa. In its center was a monumental arched entranceway. On each side were covered staircases to access the upper level. The other three sides of the agora were lined with one-story covered stoas. Inside these stoas were shops, restaurants, bars, and other places of business.
The agora was destroyed during an earthquake in the fourth century AD. Building stones from the agora were used to construct new defensive walls and the north and south Byzantine Gates.
Latrines
On the east side of Frontinus Street, just inside the Gate of Domitian, are ancient latrines. Built at the end of the first century AD, the building measured 20 meters x 6 meters (65.6 feet x 19.6 feet). It was divided into two rows by a colonnade supporting the roof. Still present are grooves where stone slabs with cutouts were inserted for seats. Two water channels ran through the latrine. The channel under the seats carried away waste. The channel in front of the seats supplied a constant stream of clean water. Those using the latrine would clean themselves with sponges attached to sticks, then clean the sponges in the channel of clean water in front. These sponge-sticks were reused.
Gate of Domitian (Frontinus Gate)
The well-preserved triple-arched monumental Gate of Domitian is the northernmost gate of Hierapolis. It originally had two stories. Two round defensive towers still flank it.
The gate, also called the Frontius Gate, was built by Julius Frontius (Proconsul of the Roman Province of Asia 84—85 AD). Frontinus dedicated the gate to Roman Emperor Domitian (reigned 81—96 AD), with an inscription bearing Domitian’s name. However, because of Domitian’s unpopularity with the Roman Senate, the inscription was removed after Domitian’s assassination in 96 AD.
The road to Sardis, some 135 kilometers (84 miles) northwest of Hierapolis, was outside the gate.
Tomb of Flavius Zeuxis
The Tomb of Flavius Zeuxis is northeast of the Gate of Domitian. According to the inscription, Flavius was a ship captain who had traveled from Asia Minor to Italy and back seventy-two times. Considering the dangers of sea travel at the time, this was a remarkable record.
Hellenistic Theater
The Hellenistic (Greek) theater is 340 meters (372 yards) east of the Gate of Domitian. It was constructed in the second century BC using the hill to support the cavea (seating area). It was destroyed in an earthquake, and its stone was removed and used to build the later Roman Theater, some 700 meters (765 yards) south-southwest. The hill the theater was built on offers a spectacular panoramic view of Hierapolis and the Lycus Valley.
North Basilica Bath
The North Basilica Bath is at the north end of Hierapolis, outside the Gate of Domitian on the east side of the road. It was built at the end of the second century AD as a bathhouse with a vaulted ceiling and marble halls. It was converted to a church with three naves in the sixth century AD. You can still see Christian symbols carved into the keystones of its arches. The church was eventually destroyed in an earthquake.
North Necropolis
The North Necropolis of Hierapolis is one of the largest cemeteries ever found in Asia Minor. It is two kilometers (1.24 miles) long and contains over 1,200 marble and limestone tombs from the late Hellenistic to the early Christian periods.
It includes rock-cut tombs for the poor, decorated sarcophagi, house and temple-shaped tombs (many with reliefs and epitaphs bearing the occupants’ names and professions), and family grave plots that originally included gardens. Many of the tombs are richly decorated.
Also in the North Necropolis are tumulus graves, cylindrical in shape, dating to the first and second centuries BC. They have passageways into a central vaulted burial chamber.
Allow at least four hours to see Hierapolis and Pamukkale.
Hierapolis and Pamukkale Opening Hours
| 1 March-1 May | 1 June-30 September | 1 October-31 October | 1 November-29 February | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Gate | 6:30 AM-8:00 PM | 6:30 AM-9:00 PM | 6:30 AM-8:00 PM | 6:30 AM-6:00 PM |
| North Gate | 8:20 AM-8:00 PM | 8:00 AM-9:00 PM | 8:00 AM-8:00 PM | 8:00 AM-6:00 PM |
Virtual Tour of Hierapolis
Turkiye’s General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums website has a virtual tour of Hierapolis.
How to Go to Hierapolis and Pamukkale
Address: 20190 Pamukkale/Denizli, Türkiye.
Telephone: +90 444 6893
Google Map Coordinates: 37.9250141432298, 29.12445260255054.
People visiting Hierapolis and Pamukkale usually go to Denizli (the province’s provincial capital), then take a bus or drive to Pamukkale village. Hierapolis and the Pamukkale cascades are just outside of Pamukkale village. The way to Pamukkale is well marked.
By Bus
On the first floor of the Denizli Metropolitan Bus Terminal (Büyükşehir Otobüs Terminali), you will see kiosks with signs reading “Pamukkale.” Ensure this refers to the destination, since there is also a bus company named “Pamukkale.” Buses depart for Pamukkale every 15 to 20 minutes.
Warning! If you take the bus to Pamukkale, at the Pamukkale station, you will be met by various hotel owners offering you a free ride to their hotel. Don’t go with them. Their hotels are a long way from Hierapolis and Pamukkale. If you haven’t booked a hotel, decline their offers and make your way into Pamukkale village. Accommodation there is abundant and much closer to what you will want to see.
By Car
If you’re traveling by car or renting a car in Denizli, take the main Atatürk Bulvarı (Boulevard) north. Atatürk Bulvarı is also the D585 Highway, which will take you directly to Pamukkale.
Ken Grubb
I’m a retired US military investigator and crime scene specialist who has lived in Türkiye for over twenty years. I love learning about and investigating Türkiye’s ancient Christian sites. My archaeologist friends tell me that my old job is much like theirs!
