Pamukkale Travertines in Denizli, Türkiye.
Pamukkale travertines are a magnificent natural formation created by thermal waters in the Büyük Menderes basin after a series of earthquakes 400 thousand years ago. Located in Denizli, Pamukkale is famous for its snow-white travertines, which are visited by millions of people every year, healing thermal waters, the fascinating Cleopatra Pool, the Ancient City of Hierapolis and its magnificent ancient theater.
The terraces of this masterpiece of nature, which has been serving as a hot spring for 1000 years in Pamukkale, consist of carbonate minerals precipitated from the hot spring water. It is also one of the 29 places in the world that has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List with its natural and cultural features. Along with Cappadocia, it is one of the natural beauties that foreigners want to see most in Türkiye.
Pamukkale Travertines consist of spring waters and travertine terraced hills. Located on the skirts of Çökelez Mountain and extending at an altitude of 100-150 meters from the plain, this terrace contains thermal springs that form travertines, which are about 6 km away from Pamukkale.
Formation of Pamukkale Travertines
The thermal water coming out of the spring in Pamukkale covers a distance of about 320 meters, comes to the travertine head, from there to the snow-white travertine layers and covers a distance of 240-300 meters.
When the water saturated with calcium carbonate evaporates under the sun, a cottony appearance of gel-like white travertines emerges and solidifies and turns into crystallized rocks. In addition to calcium carbonate, it contains sulfate, sodium, iron, potassium, magnesium, free carbon dioxide.
The sedimentary rock travertine terrace is white like cotton and named Pamukkale because of its softness in its original state, and there are 17 hot water areas in the temperature range of 33-35 °C. Since ancient times, it has been known for its healing waters and welcomes its visitors who want to find healing.
Its healing waters are good for digestion, respiratory, circulatory and skin diseases. Bringing the travertines to the point of destruction; With the removal of the hotels located between the ancient bath structure and the travertines, it regained its former whiteness.