The ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis, or "Holy City", associated with the name of St. Philip the Apostle, located about 17 kilometers from the provincial Turkish town of Denizli .  They are located on a mountain hill, whose height is 350 meters .  The first buildings appeared here in the second millennium BC .  In 190 BC king of Pergamon Eumenes II was built a new city .  Sixty years later, Hierapolis became part of the Roman Empire and the beginning of our era it was badly damaged by an earthquake .  In the 60s of the first century the city was again rebuilt and became known as a resort .  Hierapolis later passed under the rule of Byzantium, then was under the leadership of the Turkish sultan .  There is often an earthquake, and in 1534 one of them is almost completely destroyed the city .  This place was forgotten until the end of the nineteenth century, when there began the first excavations .  Now the ancient ruins of Hierapolis are located in the modern Turkish resort of Pamukkale and very popular among tourists .  Here you can get acquainted with the ancient history and explore the architectural masterpieces of the time .

One of the most important sights of the ancient theater of Hierapolis is considered to be located on the hillside .  The building was the third largest after the theaters of Ephesus and Aspendos .  Its construction began in the first half of the II century, and in the third century, the building was significantly expanded .  The building is built of solid stone and the total height of its steps is about one hundred meters .  Fifty rows separated by aisles of seven sectors are seats for spectators .  The amphitheater is divided into two tiers, and on either side of it are arched passageways .  Among seats, exactly in the center, is the imperial box .  The stage is located at a height of more than three meters and is decorated with superb stucco depicting Artemis, Apollo, Dionysos .  In the back part of it located the original bas-reliefs and three rows of columns, which occupies the space between the sculptures .  The bas-reliefs depict revered gods and mythological heroes and differ in style, because made by skilled craftsmen from different eras .  After the completion of the theater could accommodate about ten thousand people .  In Pamukkale is held annually in July International Music Festival, which is used for the ancient theater .  The truth is now in its 46 series fits only about seven thousand spectators .

The Temple of Apollo in Hierapolis was built in the third century BC. It was the biggest sanctuary in the policy, but unfortunately now he was only a broad multi-staircase leading to the foot of the temple and the area in front of the construction, which is surrounded by a protective wall. According to legend, the temple was destroyed by the earthquake at the time of the crucifixion of St. Philip the Apostle.

On the south side of the ancient building is a place that is considered to be the abode of the lord of life and death Pluto - Roman god of the underworld .  It is a small, almost invisible crack in the ground, which is surrounded by stone case .  It is believed that the sudden and intense evaporation and gases coming out of it, is so toxic that birds and small animals are killed by them .  This property of the cleft in ancient times priests used to persuade people that they communicate with the gods .  When believers come for predictions, the priest asked the god Apollo to kill the bird to prove his strength and releasing a bird into the cave .  Poisoned birds dying of carbon dioxide, which was handshaking priests with the deity .  Previously, the entrance to the grotto of Pluto was discovered, but after the terrible tragedy that happened to German tourists, the entrance was closed iron bars .  Travelers suffocated in a sacred niche and is now available for visits .

Among the monuments Hierapolis belonging to the Roman period, be sure to mention the Arch of Domitian. These majestic gates are the entrance to the ancient city and were built in the first century by Julius Frontino, proconsul Anatolian province. Passing through them, the traveler immediately falls to the spacious main street, the width of which was approximately 14 meters. Street crossed the city and ended in southern Roman gate, beyond which begins the road to Laodicea. It is known that in ancient times were two-story gate. Nowadays you can admire the well-preserved ground floor of one of the two round towers, which were built of large stones and connected by a three-high arches.

As soon as the traveler passes through the gates of Frontino, to the left, he saw a small Byzantine church built from previously used materials. On the floor of the temple was found a marble altar and the like icons made on a piece of marble slab. It is assumed that the church was dedicated to the Virgin Hodegetria protector of travelers. Before entering the church used to be a rectangular visor, and under it was placed the plate with the image of Apollo, patron god of the city of Hierapolis.

The length of the main street of the city, dividing it into two halves, approximately kilometer. On both sides of it it was built galleries and important public buildings. Plates in the central part of the main street and is now close the channel, lined with narrow limestone slabs. That he is the city sewer system. It is known that earlier before the city gate was a bath. So go to the city could only carefully having washed.

Temple Martyrios St. Philip in Hierapolis was built in the IV century .  It is believed that the church was built on the site of the death of the Apostle .  Temple had an octagonal shape and its diameter was 20 meters .  The church had a central room where, according to legend, was the tomb of St. Philip, but to date it is not detected .  The dome of this building was made of wood and covered with lead, and the remaining part of the roof of the temple was made of wood .  The base construction is shaped like a double cross .  The temple has a beautiful chapel and a terrace with several rooms, of which only ruins remain of the walls .  City Hierapolis was repeatedly exposed to earthquakes, the last of which almost completely destroyed the temple-Martyrios .  Nevertheless, it is still possible to examine, with a wide staircase located outside .  In Pamukkale, the feast of St. Philip held every November .  After the murder of St. Philip's town was called the holy city and the church of St. Philip is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for Christians .

In Hierapolis is one of the largest cemeteries in Asia Minor Hellenistic, Roman and early Christianity that looms on all sides by the walls of the city .  Even in ancient times to Hierapolis, famous for its thermal springs flowing huge number of patients, hoping for healing .  Many of them cope with the disease, returned home, and others dying, stayed here forever .  This explains the huge size of the local necropolis .  In addition, the dead were buried in Hierapolis in accordance with their traditions, so different cemetery extraordinary diversity of tombstones and headstones, among which are the sarcophagi, typical Lycian tombs and family vaults t . d .  The length of the necropolis is two kilometers and it is divided into two parts, north and south .  In the necropolis are very impressive burial structures, with a strong foundation of stone blocks, arched ceilings and arched remains of columns .  Some local burials represent a very modest, made of stone, the tomb of commoners .  While there are those that affect its size, shape and original decor .  Most ancient Greek burial in the form of round barrows, which were circulated in Anatolia in the second and first centuries BC .  There are a variety of sarcophagi, marble or limestone, with flat or gable lid, with an interesting decor and without it, set on stone foundations, or dug into the ground .  There are also family crypts designed for multiple sarcophagi .  Of the 1,200 graves of about 300 equipped with epitaphs, reports the name of the deceased, his family, employment, and is also referred to acts which he became famous .

The most famous burial northern necropolis is the tomb of Titus Flavius, often called the tomb of the traveler. It is located to the right of the main gate of the city. The tomb is a rectangular crypt, mounted on a small pedestal. His narrow doorway surrounded with fine stone border, and the Doric frieze decoration in the form of rosettes crowned tomb. In the 2nd and 3 centuries AD in the eastern part of the necropolis burials began to appear in the form of the house on a special foundation. They are conventionally called "Tomb of the hero" and they occupy a large area of ​​the cemetery. Some of them have a niche in the wall in the form of window.

One of the best places to finish the journey of Hierapolis is a small museum. It is located in one of the biggest structures of the ancient city - the Roman bath built in the early second century BC. Today, she survived by massive walls and archways. Before entering the bath landscaped small but cozy courtyard. On both sides it is surrounded by rectangular rooms, lounges, which once were attached rooms with pools. For buildings baths adjoined Palestra with two large halls in the northern and southern parts, intended for practicing gymnastic exercises. Archaeological excavations at the site have not yet been completed, so the exact boundaries of the whole complex of baths with Palestra has not yet been established. The museum is located here since 1984.

The museum exhibition includes a number of interesting works of art. The collections include jewelery, coins, architectural fragments and sarcophagi, but the main exhibits - a sculpture and bas-reliefs. Here are exhibited the objects of history, found during excavations of ancient cities such as Hierapolis, Spikes, Laodicea, Tripoli. Exhibits date from various periods from the Bronze Age to Ottoman times. Some of the exhibits of the museum is located directly in the yard. The outdoor exhibition are works mainly made of stone and marble.