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Pamukkale; Until forty or
fifty years ago, Pamukkale was a place where travelers who
happened to pass by found peace and tranquillity and the
opportunity for quiet meditation by the side of the sacred
spring that still lies exposed, amid the few ancient columns
and in the deep silence of the tombs that lay scattered over
the countryside to the west and extended out towards the
surrounding hills. In spite of the doubtful merits of
present-day developments, and in spite of all the ugly
building construction that has taken place, the seething
crowds, the noise and pollution, one can still confidently
assert that Pamukkale has lost nothing of its former
attractions.
Pamukkale is located in the Inner Aegean region at a
distance of 20 km from the town of Denizli. This lovely,
rapidly developing district in the Menderes valley, which
enjoys a temperate climate over the greater part of the year,
has all the conditions required for an ideal touristic
resort.The tectonic movements that took place in the fault
depression of the Menderes river basin gave rise to the
emergence of a number of very hot springs, and it is the
water from one of these springs, with its large mineral
content, chalk in particular, that has created the natural
wonder now known as Pamukkale, Cotton Fortress or
Baumwollenschloss, a very appropriate name for such a
phenomenon...
You may approach Pamukkale by the main roads marked on your
map, but there are also other ways, according to the
direction from which you are coming. For example, if you
approach from the West you can branch off to the left at the
sign shortly after Sarayköyü.This will give you the
opportunity of seeing and getting to know quite a few very
interesting Western Anatolian villages.On approaching
Pamukkale, whether you choose the route through these
villages or arrive by the Denizli road you will be
confronted by one of the most remarkable landscapes to be
seen anywhere in Turkey.The first thing you will see is a
rock platform over 100 m in height rising up from the plain.
The slopes of this hill, which look from a distance like a
great white speck, are covered with large numbers of pools
and terraces.As you come nearer, you will begin to see this
natural phenomenon, which resembles a frozen waterfall, in
greater detail.
From the edge of every terrace and every step in this
fascinating natural phenomenon that has gradually formed
throughout the ages hang brilliantly white stalactites, and
you can hear the joyful splashing of the waters of the hot
springs as they cascade down over slopes where their flow is
impeded only by clumps of oleanders.The temperature of the
water forming the travertines, which issues from the hot
springs on the hills above, falls to around 33 C° lower down.On
emerging to the surface, the solution of calcium-carbonate
in the spring water decomposes into carbon dioxide, calcium
carbonate and water. The carbon dioxide is released into the
air while the calcium carbonate separates off from the water
to form a grayish-white limestone sediment.The beds of the
water-courses are filled up with these limestone deposits
and the water, confronted with these obstacles, splits up
into several branches.The water flows over the slopes into
pools, the small basins surrounding them and finally into
the fields below.It is in this way that these terraces over
100 m in height composed of layers of the accumulated
limestone sediment have been gradually formed in the course
of the ages. As the limestone sediment reaches a certain
level the water accumulates in pools and, as these pools
fill up, overflows into smaller pools in the vicinity and
from these flowsinto the small hollows and depressions
around them.The limestone layers in the pools rise up in
steps, one above the other, and the continual flow of water
keeps this process in operation.The stalactites form one of
the most important features in the landscape.
With the formation of the layers and the emergence of steps
and terraces one above the other, the water leaves the
limestone deposit behind it and drips down in the form of
stalactites, as in the Damlataş caverns.The calcium oxide in
the water adds to the thickness of the white layers and
widens the terraces, producing pools in fantastic shapes
reminiscent of oyster shells or flower petals, while the
small amount of sulphur and iron oxide produces stripes of
yellow, red and green over the white of the limestone. Any
object left in the water at Pamukkale will take on a coating
of limestone within a very few days. Now, as in the olden
days, the water flows through open channels, and in cold
weather you can see columns of mist dancing over the
surface.Although the water flowing from the hot springs on
the southern slopes of Çaldağ rapidly loses heat during its
flow through these open channels it is still hot enough to
make it possible for one to bathe throughout six months of
the year in the open-air swimming pools in the motels and on
the terraces. |
