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| Travertine Pools of Pamukkale |
DID YOU KNOW? There is a place in Turkey called the "Travertine Pools of Pamukkale". This strange and extraordinary wonder of beautiful terraced pools have been a subject of fascination for over two millennia and yet little is known about this natural wonder of the world. Thousands of years ago, earthquakes (which are common in Turkey) created fractures in the ground that brought forth powerful hot thermal spring water rich in calcium carbonate to the surface. As the water evaporated, the chalky material condensed and formed layer-upon layer a vast white cliff side with scallop-like shaped basins of frozen waterfalls of travertine in the same way that a stalactite forms in a cave. The radiance of the cascades change colour depending on how the sunlight strikes them. Apparently, Pammakale means "Castle of Cotton", but the Greco-Romans built a town above it called Heirapolis – meaning “Holy City” or “Sacred City”. They too recognised it as a rare and important place attributing healing powers to its milky-white waters. Pamukkale is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the pools have been closed to the tourists that once bathed in their waters to save them from further damage.
Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org
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