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Name
Hierapolis-Pamukkale
IUCN
Management Category Proposed national park
Biogeographical
Province 2.17.05 (Mediterranean Sclerophyll)
Geographical
Location Situated in south-east Turkey, in the province of
Denizli, 22km north-north-east of the town on the northern side
of the Curuksu River valley, which at this point is some 6km wide.
The Curuksu is a tributary of the Menderes River which, passing
through the western extension of the Taurus Mountains, creates a
deep V-shaped canyon to the immediate north of the region. 37°57'N,
28°50'E
Date
and History of Establishment Although a management plan for
the area was prepared in 1969 and the creation of a national park
proposed, this has yet to be officially approved.
Area
None given, but the management plan suggests it be of sufficient
size to include all the significant natural and historical features
associated with the site.
Land
Tenure State ownership
Altitude
Around 500m, rising to 1,840m in the Cokelez mountains, to the immediate
north of the park Peaks further out but surrounding the park rise
to 2,308m (Babadag) and 2,571m (Honaz).
Physical
Features The chief features of the site are its 20m high
travertine cliffs and waterfalls. The travertine terraces lie along
the foothills of the Cokelez mountains, the highest being about
200m above the Curuksu plain and extending some 6km between the
villages of Pamukkale and Karahayit. The famous thermal springs
and travertine pools are located on the site of the Roman town of
Hierapolis, at the south-eastern tip of the terraces and occupy
an area 2,500m in length and 500m in width. Semi-circular pools
occur in a step-like arrangement down the upper one-third of the
slope; the steps range from 1-6m. Fresh deposits of calcium carbonate
give the pools a dazzling white coating. The travertine deposits,
Quaternary in age, are thought to originate from a fault in the
contact zone between the Mesozoic crystalline rocks and the layers
of the Neogen series. The water temperature averages 35°C with
a flow of 25 litres per second (from four springs). The springs
form part of a complex hydraulic system extending 70km to the north-west
to Alasehir and west along the valley of the Menderes River. These
canals take thermal water to nearby villages and agricultural areas,
some over the years having accumulated travertine deposits up to
10m in height. The oldest rocks in the area are crystalline marbles,
quartzites and schists and are located in the northern parts of
the proposed park. Most of the rocks are, however, of the Pliocene
period.
Climate
The climate is quite mild, in summer being cooler than the nearby
plains. Temperatures are high in July and August, average maximum
of 34°C, with January temperatures dropping to an average of
1°C. Humidity is high in summer and precipitation highest in
December, January and February, mostly in the form of snow, up to
35cm. Winds are most frequently from the north-west.
Vegetation
In 1969 the vegetation map of the proposed park, showed land use
cover, in descending order of area - to be, cultivated land, bare
land subject to erosion, bare land, urban areas and maquis. The
extended area around the site is largely agricultural, accounting
for 33% of land cover but with 41% classified as forest, meadow
and pasture. Agricultural crops produced under irrigation include
wheat, barley, corn, chick peas, lentils, cotton, tobacco, sugar
beet and opium poppies. Fruit and vegetables are also grown. There
are records of some 45 species of flowering plants, not all necessarily
from the proposed park area.
Fauna
Within the Denizli province there are records of ten mammals (including
wolf Canis lupus, jackal Canis ureus, bear Ursus arctos, chamois
Capra hircus and boar Sus scrofa) and ten species of bird including
great bustard Otis arda.
Cultural
Heritage Near to the site are the ruins of the Roman town
of Hierapolis which include the theatre (with the best preserved
'scaena' in Asia Minor), many tombs and the old 'thermae'. The town
was founded at the end of the 2nd century BC, reaching the peak
of its development under the Romans at the end of the 2nd and 3rd
centuries. In structure, it follows the hellenistic tradition with
the main buildings lining the main street which is 1km long, with
side streets arranged at right angles. The buildings of major importance
include the theatre, octagonus, monumental gate, nymphaeum and the
necropolis. A major activity was the wool industry which benefited
from the cleansing properties of the hot springs. The town became
a bishopric in the 4th and 5th centuries.
Local
Human Population The town of Denizli (population 61,000
in 1965, estimate 231,000 in 1985) is the nearest urban centre,
with villages in the surrounding area adding a further 56,000 to
the total population. Some 70% of the population is engaged in agricultural
activities.
Visitors
and Visitor Facilities Tourist infrastructure has been built
by both the municipality of Denizli and by private enterprise and
includes hotels, motels and swimming pools. The area is frequented
by local people (24% of total visitors in late 1960s) and is a popular
picnic spot. Other nearby resorts include Karahayit, 5km from Pamukkale,
which also has thermal springs. At present, there is only one access
road into the site with branches, one to the north to the village
of Karahayit, the other to Kurtluca. The number of visitors rose
from 1,720 in 1962 to 24,670 in 1968.
Scientific
Research and Facilities The archaeological
site of the town of Hierapolis has been extensively investigated
and partially restored by teams provided by the Italian government
(funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture
and Ambiente, as well as the National Research Council). From 1957
to 1977 these were under the direction of P. Verzone and from 1979
under D. de Bernardi Ferrero. The investigations elucidated the
plans of the town and the main town buildings. The Italian mission
included archaeologists, engineers and architects. The Hierapolis
Museum is presently an official institution funded and supported
by the Turkish government.
Conservation
Value No information
Conservation
Management Tourist facilities are restricted to the edge
of the archaeological area, and the site is largely free from instrusion
by modern constructions, although parts of the lower town have been
embedded by travertine deposits. A certain amount of reuse of old
monuments is taking place, such as the road to the necropolis being
covered with macadam and the use of some buildings as a museum and
bureau by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. All major buildings
have undergone restoration work with emphasis now being placed on
the theatre.
A
management plan was prepared in 1969 with assistance from the US
Agency for International Development, but has yet to receive official
approval. It defines three management zones, from a zone of maximum
protection to an urban development control zone.
Management
Constraints The archaeological area has several thousand
visitors each year, a problem aggravated by the lack of supervision.
Over the centuries, earthquake damage has occurred, but interestingly
enough this aspect has contributed to the architectural development
of the town.
Staff
The management plan proposed a staff consisting of a superintendent,
administrative officer, chief of visitor services and chief of maintenance.
Budget
No information
Local
Addresses
The
Municipality of Denizli has prime responsibility, but the site is
owned by the State and the city of Denizla.
References
There
are 15 main references listed in the submission document to the
World Heritage Committee. Others include:
Anon.
(1969). Master plan for protection and use. Pamukkale National Park.
Anon.
(1987). Pamukkale (Hierapolis). NET. Turistik Yayinlar sonayi ve
Ticaret A.S.
Date
April 1988
1562V
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