Hierapolis trailing Hagia Sophia in visitor number

DENİZLİ

One of Turkey’s UNESCO World Heritage sites and most important tourism attractions, the Pamukkale Hierapolis ancient city in the western province of Denizli was the second most visited place by tourists last year after Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, even surpassing the Topkapı Palace.

Pamukkale, known worldwide for its white travertines, is rushed by local and foreign guests every year. Its thermal water has been healing people for 2,500 years.

Among the most visited ancient sites and museums in Turkey in 2019, the Pamukkale Hierapolis ancient city ranked second for the first time in history, leaving the Topkapı Museum behind.

“In 2018, Pamukkale was visited by 2.1 million people. This figure increased by 17 percent last year and reached 2.5 million. The most visited place is Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Museum with 3.7 million visitors. Topkapı Palace ranked third with 2.3 million visitors,” said Denizli Touristic Hoteliers and Enterprises Association (DENTUROD) chairman Gazi Murat Şen.

Stating that it is very important for them to get this rank, Şen said, “Our goal is to reach 3.5 million people in the next years. Right now, we have problems in the region in terms of far-eastern visitors. We hope that it will be solved within a short time. There are 35 places in the world like Pamukkale. This is why the number of visitors is on rise. More people are expected to come after the lighting and physiotherapy services will be active in Pamukkale.”