Visiting Denizli: Pale Stands the Mountain

“Enough reverence over the unusual and beautiful can make anything spiritual. Enough tourists can tilt the needle back towards mundane.” – Old Sean

The Spectral Summit

After my night out with locals and Ukrainians in Antalya, I began wandering through the countryside on a long, slow drive towards Denizli. I specifically wanted to see the Travertines of Pamukkale, a series of natural thermal pools surrounded by white limestone and carbonate formations.

For the majority of my road trip through the Lycian territories of South Turkey, I’ve been extremely fortunate to miss virtually all traffic outside of city centers. The roads have been smooth and lovely.

That changed as I drew near Denizli. I found myself gridlocked in two hours of traffic due to construction narrowing a two lane road into a single lane.

This in itself wouldn’t be too bad, but apparently Turks are selfish drivers. Endless cars continuously drove on the shoulders of the road, zooming past. They created an impossibly slow traffic jam with more vehicles continuously cutting in front.

I was losing my mind until a like-minded bus driver behind me started angling his vehicle, essentially blocking off the entire shoulder and rightmost lane. Cars weren’t able to cut anymore. With the easier influx of traffic, all lanes sped up considerably. After nearly an hour of barely moving ten meters, traffic began inching along until I covered the next two kilometers in just 45 minutes.

I adore bus drivers.

Horror of Lines

When I finally arrived in Denizli, I was low on patience. I spent a period of time exploring the city, but this was more of a drive-by than a legitimate attempt to stop and explore. I sought out a few local sites, including the Pamukkale Belediyesi Seyir Tepesi platform, which is a photogenic overlook spot for tourists and snacks. I glanced at (but didn’t go on) the Denizli Teleferik, a cable car which extends up to the green Bağbaşı Plateau Peak (Bağbaşı Yaylası). I passed by the shallow, surprisingly clear pond at İncilipınar Parkı. I considered visiting Bayramyeri Square but traffic deterred me. I was surprised at the scenery at Vali Recep Yazıcıoğlu Dam, since it feeds a vast number of tributaries to the east. Laodicea Ancient City was also on my stop list, a series of 3rd century ruins still under excavation, but traffic was fairly intense around there as well.

Finally, I reached my true destination. To the north of the city, there stood the white mountain itself, the Travertines of Pamukkale.

But instead of going inside, I groaned once I reached the outside gate. The lines were staggering, stretching from the entrance to the road. The inside walkways heading up the mountain were almost as bad, a massive river of people inching upwards.

I decided to abstain from entering. Instead, I opted to explore the lowland area around the mountain.

Unorthodox Scuff

As nice as it is to see the pools themselves, visitors can witness quite a lot at the lower levels when looking upon the so-called “cotton castle”. There are plenty of white mounds where minerals have built up, creating pale, rough-stone surfaces ascending ever higher. Weeds and trees are often caked in the natural calcite-carbonate minerals left by the flowing of thermal spring water. There are plenty of “chutes” where water has been diverted, creating natural pathways ascending to the lower peaks of the structure.

While I’m not sure it’s legally allowed, I decided to follow these up. I soaked in a couple of public pools along the way, gazing at the lake nestled below. A patient heron awaited me as I climbed, leading me ever upwards until I was walking under rickety wooden walkways that had been blanketed in minerals over untold years.

Overhead, paragliders swooped lazily and there were vast grasslands in all other directions, interrupted only by modern neighborhoods. A strange, black smog column from a fire appeared in the distance, but it faded after a mere ten minutes or so.

Pamukkale’s unique terraces with its white walls and pale-blue pools are formed of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by mineral water from the locally active hot springs. When the water, supersaturated with calcium carbonate minerals, reaches the mountains upper surface, carbon dioxide de-gasses from it’s liquid, and calcium carbonate is gradually deposited to make the famous pools and unique “cotton” structure.

I spent a-many hours clambering over that strangely textured surface of rough, bulging stone.

Hierapolis

Pamukkale isn’t the only unique feature and UNESCO World Heritage attraction of the area. Indeed, the ancient city built on the plateau also holds considerable fame. Hierapolis, otherwise called “Holy City” was an ancient Greek settlement which originated as a Phrygian cult center of the Anatolian mother goddess, Cybele.

To reach the city ruins, one has to loop around the eastern portion of Pamukkale or cut through the center by paying a fee. But once within Hierapolis, there stands a variety of religious and community ruins, including the Necropolis of Hierapolis, the Hierapolis Bazilika, numerous tombs, the Frontinus Gate, stunning overlooks of the nearby lowland fields and the nearby Hierapolis Archaeological Museum.

I admittedly only spent a short time here. Nearing the end of my journey, I’d already had my fill of ruins and other such features. I soon departed, continuing west.

Spring Town

Perhaps not surprisingly, there are three hot-spring towns to the immediate west of Pamukkale. Develi, Karahayıt and Akköy. Fueled by natural hot springs, the gorgeous towns have a number of visitors. There are also several landmarks in the area, including natural spring-stone formations.

I ended up stopping in Karahayıt to see if I could find a traditional Turkish Hamam Massage. There was a place which was affordable and allowed for walk ins, though I never learned the name. The sign was too worn and without any English words. I was only aware it was probably a spa of some sort due to the steam getting whisked away by the wind.

Half-Beat

I’ll stop writing here for the time being. There is further journeying today, but I’m nearly halfway back to Izmir at this point. I’ll pick up again once I make it through the next leg of my journey which is going to involve a lot of driving into sunsets.

So until then,

Best regards and excellent trails,

Old Sean

Written April 14th, 2024

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