Travertine paradise in Central Anatolia awaits recognition

SİVAS

A project readying yellow-colored travertines in the Central Anatolian province of Sivas, resembling the world-famous travertines of Pamukkale, to make them become a tourist hotspot in the Çermik Hot Spring is underway.

Altınkale, which has been designed in a way that has steps ascending into a pool of hot spring, is very similar to the travertines in Pamukkale and it carries yellow deposits formed by the sulfur in the water. It is being planned to be opened this year.

“Altınkale, which was built by using the geological and geomorphological structure of Sivas on an area of 22,000 square meters, will be Pamukkale’s sister, not her rival,” Sivas Governor Salih Ayhan said, while conducting an inspection on the thermal field.

“Sediment forms in the pool when we leave the water to its natural environment. A very different functionality will be provided to the region with the completion of the project. The region will become a center of attraction when the project is over,” Ayhan said.

Altınkale means “golden castle” in Turkish, while Pamukkale means “cotton castle.”

Noting that the natural formation has started to take shape already, Ayhan said thermal tourism will become operational thanks to the landscape planning to be designed around the region.

In 2018, Hobbit homes were built in Sivas, drawing interest from domestic and foreign tourists.

Inspired by the famous fantasy novel and movie The Lords of the Rings, the municipality in Sivas province had built the homes underground.