Pamukkale de Gezilecek Yerler ve Tarihi / The Ancient City of Hierapolis (Pamukkale)

   Pamukkale Travertenleri Dünyada apayrı bir üne sahip. Burada ve çevresinde gezip, görülebilcek çok fazla tarihi öğe bulunuyor. Hepsi Denizli ilinin içinde yer alıyor ve Denizli de gerek horozuyla, kaplıcalarıyla, gerekse akarsuları, havası ve eşsiz doğası ile ülkemizin turizm merkezlerinden biri olarak görüp, gezilmesi gereken güzide şehri.
 
    Pamukkale de  Gezilecek Yerler
Pamukkale, Denizli şehrinin simgelerinden biri. binlerce yıllık geçmişe dayanan antik kentleri ve doğal güzellikleri ile mutlaka görülmesi gereken bir yer. Antik kentler açısından bir hayli zengin olan yerde öncelikle Hierapolis Antik Kenti ve Pamukkale Hierapolis Arkeoloji Müzesi ni gezebilirsiniz. Diğer görülmesi gereken Antik Kentler; Colossae Antik Kenti, Tripolis Antik Kenti, Tabea Antik Kenti, ve Laodikya Antik Kenti.

    Muhteşem bir güzelliğe sahip pamukkale havuzunu deneyebilirsiniz. Havuzun dibinde antik kalıntılar mevcut ver etrafı ise birbirinden güzel renklerde çiçekler, yeşillikler ve palmiye ağaçları ile kaplı harika bir yer.
    Denizli termal turizmi açısından oldukça popüler bir bölge. Sarayköy Kaplıcaları, Karahayıt Kaplıcaları, Tekkeköy Kaplıcası, Çizmeli Kaplıcaları, Gölemezli Kaplıcası ve Kızıldere Kaplıcası sık sık ziyaret edilen ve termal turizmin canlı olduğu yerler.
    Yine Denizli ye dahil olan Honaz Dağı Milli Parkı nı ziyaret edebilir, yüzlerce bitkiyi ve vahşi hayvan türlerini barındıran Honaz Dağı Milli Parkı nın ünlü şelalelerini ziyaret edebilir ve Keloğlan Mağarası ile Kaklık Mağarasını gezebilirsiniz. Ayrıca Honaz Dağı nın yamaç paraşütü için uygun parkurlarından da extrem sporlarla uğraşan herkes faydalanabiliyor.
    Yukarıda yazdığım üç adet Pamukkale Antik Kentleri hakkında tarihi bilgiye ulaşmak için üzerlerine tıklamanız yeterli, bu bilgilerin benzerleride aşağıda ingilizce olarak verilmiştir.

    The Ancient City of Hierapolis (Pamukkale) and Martyrium
    The city of water and faith, Hierapolis (Pamukkale) with its unique assets is on the Unesco World Heritage List. Hosting many great civilizations with its fertile lands, ancient structures and religious characteristics, Hierapolis is different from other ancient cities. One of the most important characteristics of the Ancient City of Hierapolis is that St. Philip, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, was killed by crucification in 80 AD. That is why, the city was recognized as a holy city and millions of people visited the city for pilgrimage. Hierapolis maintains this feature even today.
    Managing to remain many of its assets from the Ancient Era, the Ancient City of Hierapolis (Pamukkale) is one of the most important centres of human history. The civilizations that settled on the land created a unique fusion of cultures.
    Situated on the upper of Lycos Valley that is between Mount Honaz (Kadmos), Mount Babadag (Salbakos) and Mount Cokelez, Hierapolis became the star of great empires with its position as a junction point between the southern and central Anatolia, therapeutic spring waters and the equitation of Plutonium and Apollon.

    After the Alexander the Great, the area was first ruled by the Seleukos Dynasty (3rd Century Ad), then it went under the control of the Pergamum Kingdom which was supported by Antiokhos the 3rd of Rome in 190 AD. Remaining as a colonial city until this date, Hierapolis had a religious identity in time. The god of the city is Apollon. Shattered by many natural disasters through its history, the Ancient City of Hierapolis maintained the characteristics of Hellenistic Era until the earthquake during the period of the Emperor Nero of Rome.
    The city, reconstructed after the great earthquake, had a completely typical roman characteristic.
The city achieved a great prosperity in the 2nd and 3rd century AD, and became a popular point for the notable people of the Roman Empire. Today' s city is the one that was constructed by the Romans.

    Having to deal with many difficulties in the first years of Christianity, Jesus Christ appointed 12 assistants (apostles) to help him spread the religion and his teachings. The responsibility of those apostles who gained Jesus Christ' s trust was to spread Christianity out across vast populations.
    After the death of Jesus Christ, the 12 apostles taught teachings of Bible to people by traveling in many parts of the world.
    Spreading all around the world after the death of Jesus Christ, Christianity influenced millions people. The apostles had a great role in that rapid spread of Christianity. After the death of Jesus Christ, the apostles who has the responsibility to take the Bible all around the world and introducing Christianity, put a lot of effort in spreading the religion despite all the sorrows and difficulties. According to the belief, after his resurrection, Jesus Christ gave them the authority to forgive people' s sins. The power and authority of Christianity today vastly is a result of the activities of those 12 apostles who were appointed by Jesus Christ.

    Having come to Anatolia with the aim of teaching the rules in Bible and spreading Christianity, St. Philip gave speeches in many cities of Anatolia.
    His speeches were so influential that many people were converted to Christianity despite various obstructions and tortures.
    The speeches given by St. Philip attracts great attention in the city in a very short time. This was such a great attention that even Caesar the Roman Emperor hears about them. Caesar orders his soldiers to find and kill St. Philip with the fear of the fact that the system he established will be ruined and the community will be separated.
    St. Philip, who wanted all around Anatolia, was finally caught in Hierapolis (Pamukkale). Going through tremendous tortures in Hierapolis where he came with his two daughters, St. Philip is killed bu crucification. Similarly, one of this daughters is killed with him. It is assumed that his other daughter was killed with St. John in the Ancient City of Ephesus. St. Philip is depicted with a long cross in his hand in the Christian pictures and sculptures.
    The cross symbolises his endless effort for Christianity, his fight against the enemies of Jesus Christ and his walk to death for the sake of his belief. Sometimes the cross is seen tied on the top of a stick.

    Moreover, in some he is depicted with a basket full bread in one hand to give to the poor and a cross in his other hand. In some, he is depicted while he fights against a snake or a dragon, or as a hero letting the Mars sculpture free from the evil spirit.
    When Christianity was recognized as the official religion in the 5th Century, the community in Hierapolis demanded the construction of a martyrium in the name of St.Philip.
    The authorities of the city accepted this request and decided to construct a martyrium in the name of St. Philip outside the city walls on the top of the hill. Located on the northeastern outskirt of the city, St. Philip Martyrium was designed as a religious centre and grave. The construction is recognized as one of the most beautiful buildings of the era.
    With the construction this martyrium, Hierapolis started to be known now only with its historical and natural assets but also as a centre of Christianity. It is such that this holly construction became one of the most important spots of millions of people after Christianity was recognized as the official religion. Millions of Christians who wanted to be pilgrim visited this construction.

    One of the main reasons why people in Hierapolis wanted a martyrium to be constructed in the name of St. Philip was that with the help of St. John he fought against Vipera (the Goddess of Hell) who ruled Hierapolis. This effort of St. Philip enabled Hierapolis to become as important as the Ancient City of Ephesus during the Byzantium Empire period.
   The holly area where the Martyrium of St. Philip is located, who was murdered by crucificantion by the order of the Roman Emperor Caesar, clearly indicates the importance of the city' s religious identity.
    St Philip Martyrium has an octagonal structure with a diameter of 20 meters. The holly building has a unique structure with its dome which is covered with lead standing on eight columns. The two sides of the Structure are arcaded. St. Philip Martyrium has entrances from four sides. There is an octagonal dome which is surrounded with eight rectangular rooms in the centre. The central area is covered with a wooden dome which is covered with lead. The centre of St. Philip Martyrium was constructed with marble. St. Philip' s grave is also here.

    The corridor connections of the structure were decorated with mosaics. The floors of the front rooms were travertine and those of other rooms where people coming for pilgrimage stayed were compressed soil.
    The visitors were told about St. Philip' s experience and struggle for spreading Christianity by the priests in the central area.
    The rooms around the diagonal axis have triangular gardens. The eight rooms were connected to each other by the corridors in both directions. Small praying rooms were placed in each section.
    Many ancient artifact in the Ancient City of Hierapolis greets each day differently as the witnesses of history. St. Philip Martyrium is one of those artifacts. The moment you enter the borders of this structure, you realise that your soul relaxes and feels a different peace inside.

    If you also would like yo swim in the healing waters of Pamukkale with amazing beauty of travertines, and to purify your soul in the spiritual atmosphere of St. Philip, you should visit the Ancient City of Hierapolis in Denizli. Especially, you will feel that St. Philip is whispering something to your ears during the hours of sunset...