You can still swim among sunken Roman columns in Cleopatra’s Pool, where myth meets mineral magic.
By Nil Güler, PhD
Denizli is a vibrant city in southwestern Türkiye, nestled in the Aegean region. It is known for its rich history, natural wonders, and cultural heritage. Denizli’s earliest settlements date back to around 4000 BC. The area was conquered and settled by Hittites, Phrygians, Greeks, Romans, and taken by the Seljuks in the 11th century, later becoming part of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.
It is an industrial, export, and trade center, and it also hosts nearly sixty-five thousand university students. The province, which hosts millions of local and foreign tourists a year, is a touristic city as well as an educational, congressional, cultural, and artistic center with local, national, and international events.
Economy
It is renowned as a global hub for textile production, particularly towels, bathrobes, bed linens, home textiles, and woven fabrics. Denizli has a long-standing tradition in weaving and textile production that dates back to ancient times, including during the Roman and Ottoman periods. In the 20th century, particularly after the 1980s, Denizli underwent rapid modernization of its textile sector, which is one of Türkiye’s primary cotton-producing areas. Easy access to raw materials has contributed to the development of a robust local textile industry. The area boasts numerous natural water sources, including thermal springs and rivers such as the Büyük Menderes, which historically supported textile processes like dyeing and washing. It invested in advanced machinery and adopted an export-oriented production strategy, becoming internationally recognized for its textile production.
The region became known for its skilled artisans and high-quality woven goods like buldan cloth (a traditional cotton fabric named after the Buldan district). Denizli’s textile companies export heavily to Europe, the US, and beyond. The city’s Chamber of Industry, along with various textile cooperatives, has supported this global expansion.
Agriculture
Agriculture plays a vital role in Denizli’s economy, with the region’s fertile soils supporting the cultivation of tobacco, olives, cherries, and grapes. Greenhouse cultivation and organic farming are increasingly prevalent, contributing to both domestic consumption and exports.
Key Agricultural Products
Oregano Denizli is a global leader in oregano production, cultivating over 91% of Türkiye’s oregano on approximately 19,700 hectares. In 2023, the region produced nearly 27,000 tons of oregano, accounting for approximately 89.6% of the world’s demand.
Sunflower Seeds: The province is a major center for sunflower seed production in Türkiye.
Greenhouse Crops: Denizli has adopted modern greenhouse farming, particularly in the cultivation of tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. These high-tech greenhouses utilize geothermal energy and computerized climate control systems to produce high-quality, pesticide-reduced crops for export.
Olives and Olive Oil: The region is renowned for its olive cultivation, with Gemlik olive saplings being distributed to local farmers to enhance production
Pamukkale: A natural spa
It means “cotton castle” in Turkish and is made up of terraces filled with warm, turquoise-blue water that has flowed down the mountainside for thousands of years and are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by mineral water from the hot springs. Pamukkale is one of Türkiye’s most stunning natural wonders, which has been used as a spa since at least the 2nd century BCE. Imagine gleaming white terraces cascading down a hillside, made not of snow, but of mineral-rich travertine formed by thermal spring waters. People have been soaking in them since ancient times, believing the waters have healing properties.
In this area, there are 17 hot springs with temperatures ranging from 35°C (95°F) to 100°C (212°F). The water that emerges from the spring is transported 320 metres (1,050 ft) to the head of the travertine terraces and deposits calcium carbonate on a section of 60 to 70 metres (200 to 230 ft).
Hierapolis
The Hierapolis, also known as sacred city, which is located right next to the travertines of Pamukkale, proves that this area was appreciated by people not only today but also thousands of years ago. The Hierapolis Ancient City is a cultural treasure that people added to the travertines of Pamukkale thousands of years ago. Among the ruins of the ancient city, there exists:
- The Theatre
◗ Built during the Roman period (2nd century AD), it is massive, seating around 12,000–15,000 people.
◗ Super well-preserved: the stage building (scaenae frons) still has reliefs and columns.
◗ Epic views over the surrounding valley—incredible at sunset. - The Necropolis
◗ One of the largest and best-preserved ancient cemeteries in Türkiye.
◗ Spans over 2 km, with sarcophagi, tumulus tombs, and temple-shaped graves.
◗ Demonstrates the significance of death rituals and the afterlife in the region. - The Temple of Apollo
◗ Considered the main god of the city.
◗ Built right on top of a “Plutonium” cave that emitted toxic gases, believed to be an entrance to the underworld.
◗ Priests of Apollo would demonstrate their divine favor by entering without harm (or so legend says!). - The Roman Baths and Basilica
◗ The baths are now the site of the Hierapolis Archaeological Museum.
◗ Still has parts of the heating system (hypocaust) visible beneath the floor.
◗ The basilica shows the shift to Christianity in late antiquity. - The Cleopatra Pool (Antique Pool)
◗ You can still swim among sunken Roman columns!
◗ Said to have been a gift from Mark Antony to Cleopatra (though more legend than fact).
◗ Naturally warm mineral water still flows through.
Caravanserai
Because Denizli was on trade routes, there are several historic caravanserais from Seljuk period. Two of them are Akhan and Hanabad (Çardak) Caravanserai. Both were built in the 13th century, showing the characteristics of the period.
Pamukkale University (PAU) The university has 45,000 students and 1,400 academicians. The university serves as a significant educational and research hub in southwestern Türkiye, offering a wide range of programs and fostering innovation and international collaboration. It has 19 faculties and 6 graduate schools. The PAU Sports Center, operational since 2006, offers facilities for basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and fitness classes like yoga and pilates.
What to eat: Mediterranean and Central Anatolia cuisines fused into an authentic yet varied kitchen in Denizli. The city is renowned for its distinctive meat, grain, and dairy dishes.
Pamukkale is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Hierapolis. Hierapolis-Pamukkale was made a World Heritage Site in 1988. ■
