Hierapolis
Hierapolis (/ˌhaɪəˈræpəlɪs/; Ancient Greek: Ἱεράπολις, lit. "Holy City") was originally a Phrygian cult centre of the Anatolian mother goddess of Cybele and later a Greek city. Its location was centred upon the remarkable and copious hot springs in classical Phrygia in southwestern Anatolia. Its extensive remains are adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey.
Ἱεράπολις | |
Shown within Turkey | |
| Alternative name | Hierapolis-Pamukkale |
|---|---|
| Location | Pamukkale, Denizli Province, Turkey |
| Region | Phrygia |
| Coordinates | 37°55′30″N 29°07′33″E |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | early 2nd century BC |
| Abandoned | 14th century (final occasion) |
| Periods | Roman Republican to High Medieval |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1887, 1957–2008 |
| Archaeologists | Carl Humann, Paolo Verzone |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | Hierapolis-Pamukkale |
| Type | Mixed |
| Criteria | iii, iv, vii |
| Designated | 1988 (12th session) |
| Reference no. | 485 |
| UNESCO Region | Europe and North America |
The hot springs have been used as a spa since at least the 2nd century BCE, with many patrons retiring or dying there as evidenced by the large necropolis filled with tombs, most famously that of Marcus Aurelius Ammianos, which bears a relief depicting the earliest known example of a crank and rod mechanism, and the Tomb of Philip the Apostle.
It was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. The Italian Archaeological Mission of Hierapolis of Frigia (MAIER) has operated at the site since 1957 and is currently directed by Grazia Semeraro, Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Salento.