Night Museum project starts at Hierapolis

DENİZLİ

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.

Hierapolis became the second ruin to be illuminated at night after Ephesus.

Professor Celal Şimşek, the head of the Pamukkale University's (PAÜ) Archaeology Department and Hierapolis excavation and restoration coordinator, stated that there is no such place where natural travertines and archaeological beauties merge. “After Ephesus, this is the second ruin that is illuminated at night. This is a very warm geography and those who come to see this beauty will stay cool on hot evenings,” he added.

Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Turan Veli Akyol stated that the Night Museum project will start with the opening of the tourism season and said, "Here, local and foreign tourists and groups brought by agencies will have a night museum experience. Tourists will experience the unique and natural beauties at night, especially in the travertines. Those who will have trouble traveling in the heat during the summer months will be able to visit the wonder of the world, Pamukkale, at night. They will enjoy the unique beauty of the Hell's Gate, the Ancient Theater, and the travertines at night. This project will make a great contribution to tourist accommodation in Denizli.”

SICPA Türkiye has been providing design, development and sales channel management services for tickets and ticket products with approximately 450 personnel at 83 museums and archaeological sites and 12 ticket sales points affiliated to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, National Palaces and Çanakkale Area Presidency since 2018, and providing audio guidance to visitors at 44 museums and archaeological sites.

Sami Çebi, general manager of SICPA Türkiye, said that they have successfully implemented the Night Museum project, which the ministry attaches great importance to, in the Hierapolis Ruins within the targeted period.

"Night Museum, which we believe will make a great contribution to the tourism diversity in our country, will bring a breath of fresh air to Turkish tourism and will make a significant contribution to the goal of increasing tourism revenues. Hierapolis has been open to visitors for 67 years and has been on the UNESCO Natural and Cultural Heritage list since 1988. Local and foreign tourists who could not visit these places during the daytime due to the heat, especially in the summer months, now have the opportunity to visit them safely at night," Çebi said.

Hierapolis Ancient Theater is known as one of the most successful baroque-style works from the Roman era. The ancient theater, which has a history of 1,800 years, is located within the borders of Hierapolis, which means “Holy City” in Greek. In the ancient theater, which is almost an open-air museum with its architectural features, decoration and reliefs, many important works, such as the reliefs of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus and his wife Julia, who played a major role in the construction of the theater, attract great attention from tourists.

Of the 2.2 million tourists who visited the ancient city of Hierapolis in 2023, 46 percent were foreign visitors coming through agencies.