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Hierapolis (Pamukkale), Turkey
| Location | Hierapolis, Turkey | Date | January 2, 2010 | Views | 922 |
| Source | sacred-destinations.com; en.wikipedia.org; youtube.com | Rate | |||
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About Hierapolis
Today, Hierapolis is a World Heritage Site and popular tourist destination. In addition to interesting Classical ruins, the site offers a thermal Sacred Pool in which you can swim with ancient artifacts, a view of the spectacular white terraces of Pamukkale, and a good museum. Hierapolis in the BibleHierapolis is mentioned only once in the Bible, when St. Paul praises Epaphras, a Christian from Colossae, in his letter to the Colossians. Paul writes that Epaphras "has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis" (Colossians 4:12-13). Epaphras was probably the founder of the Christian community at Hierapolis. Ancient tradition also associates Hierapolis with a biblical figure, reporting that Philip died in Hierapolis around 80 AD. However, it is not clear which Philip is menat. It could be Philip the Apostle, one of the original 12 disciples, who is said to have been martyred by upside-down crucifixion (Acts of Philip) or by being hung upside down by his ankles from a tree. Or Philip could be Philip the Evangelist, a later disciple who helped with administrative matters and had four virgin-prophetess daughters (Acts 6:1-7; 21:8-9). Early traditions say this Philip was buried in Hierapolis along with his virgin daughters, but confusingly call him "Philip the Apostle"! In any case, it seems a prominent person mentioned in Acts did die in Hierapolis. Hierapolis Attractions
Hierapolis TheatreThe theater of Hierapolis is well-preserved, especially the stage buildings, which were beautifully decorated with reliefs. Constructed around 200 BC, the theater could hold 20,000 spectators and had reserved seating for distinguished spectators in the front row. Today, just 30 rows of seating have survived.Hierapolis Temple of ApolloA temple was raised to Apollo Lairbenos, the principal god of Hierapolis, during the Hellenistic period (as can be seen on coins from Hierapolis). Apollo was linked to the ancient Anatolian sungod Lairbenos and the god of oracles Kareios. But pagan worship also centered on Cybele, Artemis, Pluto and Poseidon. Now only the foundations of the Hellenistic temple remain. The temple stood within a peribolos (15 metres (49 ft) by 20 metres (66 ft)) in Doric style. As the back of the temple was built against the hill, the peribolos was surrounded on three sides by marble Doric order columns. The new temple was reconstructed in the 3rd century in Roman fashion, but also by recycling the stone blocks from the older temple. It has a smaller area, and now only its marble floor remains.The temple of Apollo has deliberately been built over an active fault passing underneath, giving rise to the cave of the Plutonium, as shown by seismological investigations. Temples dedicated to Apollo were often built over sites with geological activity, such as his most famous temple, the temple at Delphi. When the Christian faith was introduced as the official religion in the fourth century CE, this temple underwent a number of desicartions. Part of the peribolos was dismantled to make room for a large Nympheum.PlutoniumSouth of the temple is the Plutonium, a sacred cave believed to be an entrance to the underworld, the domain of the Roman god Pluto (the Greek Hades). The cave emitted poisonous vapors in ancient times, and still does! For this reason, the entrance is sealed off. According to the Greek geographer Strabo, the priests of Cybele were able to enter the sacred chamber safely, but animals who entered it died (Geography 13.4.14).Nymphaeum Behind the Sacred Pool is the nymphaeum, a monumental fountain that distributed water to the city. Dating from the 4th century AD, it has been partially restored. Three walls surround a basin of water, which was approached by steps on the open side. Statues filled the niches in the walls.MartyriumThere is a ruined church across from the Martyrium near the Agora and another one built inside the baths on the other (north) side of the Agora. The Martyrium (or Martyrion) of St. Philip, outside the walls by the northern part of the city, was built in the 5th century AD on the site of Philip's martyrdom (see "In the Bible," above). A square building with an octagonal rotunda, it measures 65 feet (20 m) per side. In the center was a crypt believed to contain the remains of Philip. The building seems not to have been used as a church (no altar was found) nor as a burial site (no other tombs were found); it was probably set aside for processions and special services. Crosses and other Christian symbols can be seen carved over the arches.Necropolis Following the main colonnaded road, and passing the Thermae extra muros, an extensive necropolis extends for over two kilometers on either side of the old road to Tripolis and Sardis. The necropolis extends from the northern to the eastern and southern sections of the old city. Most of the tombs have been excavated. This necropolis is one of the best preserved in Turkey. Most of about the 1200 tombs were constructed with local varieties of limestone. The extent of this necropolis attests again to the importance Hierapolis had in the Antiquity.
Most tombs date from the late Hellenic period, but there are also a considerable number from the Roman period, and the early Christian period. People who came for medical treatment to Hierapolis in ancient times and the native people of the city buried their dead in tombs of several types according to their traditions and reflecting the social-economic status of the people. VIDEO HierapolisPICTURES Hierapolis
WALLPAPERS Hierapolis
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Hierapolis, whose name means "sacred city," was believed by the ancients to have been founded by the god Apollo. It was famed for its sacred hot springs, whose vapors were associated with Pluto, god of the underworld. The city also had a significant Jewish community and was mentioned by Paul in his Letter to Colossians.
The Hellenistic city was built with streets running parallel or perpendicular to the main street. This main street ran from north to south close to a cliff with the travertine terraces. It was about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) long, 13.5 metres (44 ft) wide and was bordered on both sides by an arcade. At both ends of the main street there was a monumental gate, flanked by square towers built of massive blocks of stone. The side streets were about 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide. There is another gate, the Domitian gate, close to the northern city gate. This triumphal arch, flanked by circular towers, consists of three arches and was built by proconsul Frontinius.
