Hierapolis

Some 18,500 visitors flocked to Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis on the second day of Eid al-Fitr, setting a new one-day visitor record at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the western province of Denizli.

The figure on April 11 surpassed the previous record of 16,500 visitors in a single day, set back in 2019 for the region known as "white paradise."

Nearly 4 million visitors have flocked to museums and archeological sites in the first three months of 2024, according to a recent announcement made by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

The launch of the "Museum by Night" project, which will bring Türkiye's unique historical sites and rich cultural heritage to visitors in a completely different atmosphere after sunset, was held on March 8 at the Pamukkale Hierapolis ancient city in the western province of Denizli with the participation of officials from the Culture and Tourism Ministry and state protocol.

The ancient city of Hierapolis, where lighting works continue, is preparing to host more tourists at night.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that they will start night museums in the ruins, including the ancient city of Hierapolis, soon.

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced that Turkish archaeologists, for the first time, will lead all excavations previously carried out by foreign scientific committees in the scope of the new "Heritage to the Future" project.

The sales of museum cards, known as MüzeKart, reached 2.1 million in the first seven months of 2023, the Culture and Tourism Ministry has announced.

According to the statement made by the ministry, there was a record increase in MüzeKart sales, the price of which was recently fixed to 60 Turkish Liras.

In the first seven months of 2023, nearly 1.15 million people have visited the tourism hotspot Pamukkale, marking a 23 percent rise compared to the same period last year.

The Gate of Hell, (Plutonium), which was unearthed in 2013 by the Italian excavation team in Pamukkale, one of Türkiye's UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, has been opened to visitors. Plutonium, which is called the "gateway to the land of the dead" in ancient sources, began hosting hundreds of local and foreign tourists on the very first day.

Famous worldwide for its mineral-rich healing waters and pristine white travertine terraces, Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, located in the western province of Denizli, lure visitors during the fall season. The site has been listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1988. (AA Photo)  

Efforts are underway to make Pamukkale, where famous actors such as Nicholas Cage shot films, appear more on the big screen and become the promotional face of Turkey.