Here I am on the travertines in Pammukale (minus beard). The water in this historic spa town is rich with calcium, so the deposits leave turn everything white as it flows down the hill. The travertines are where the water pools and the calcium deposits build up these table-like structures. The whole hillside is like walking on another planet, and walking down during sunset made the whole experience unforgettable. Right after the sun set, and there was no direct light, it seemed like the ground and the sky were reflecting each other. I was being a huge photo nerd the whole way, so this post is mostly images.
At the top of the hill was a ruined city based on the curative properties of the local water. Because it was inhabited from 190 BC to the 1300s you can see a mix of pagan, Roman, Jewish and early Christian influences.
During Roman times there was a temple to Apollo here, which was guarded by an oracle and eunuch priests. The oracle’s inspiration came from a hole in the ground which to this day, unidentifiable toxic gasses bubble up (left). The hole was dedicated to Pluto (right). In the past the oracle would sacrafice birds by throwing them into the hole, and there have even been some human casualties before it was sealed off. I looked into this small hole to hear the water bubbling and was met with a warm breeze that made me choke.
