Pamukkale - Candid tips by travel authority Howard Hillman

Pamukkale
pool terraces

Travel tips you can trust

Why the
Pamukkale pool terraces
in Turkey are special

They staircase down a hill slope, creating an out-of-this-world landscape.

Pamukkale
pool terrace
tips and insights

How to pronounce

Pamukkale = pah-mook-kah leh

How the Pamukkale
pool terraces
were formed

The thermal spring water that flows down the hill is rich in dissolved calcium carbonate. It leaves deposits and hardens on the slope's surfaces, eventually creating the white-walled ponds we see today. The building process took centuries.

History in brief

This natural wonder has attracted tourists since Roman times. Sadly, in the late 20th century, hotels were built above it, diverting and sullying the thermal spring waters, which caused the Pamukkale pool terraces to lose volume and turn grayish. The government stepped in and tore down the offending hotels. Today, the pristine white hue is back. Ditto for the unadulterated and full-volume water.

Name

The Turkish word Pamukkale means "cotton castles" in English.

Sunglasses

Bring them. The intense reflections of the bright, shiny white travertine walls can be blinding on a sunny day.

Sister wonder

The Hierapolis archaeological site sits just above the Pamukkale pool terraces. Click Hierapolis to vew my web page on it.

Location in Turkey