Denizli
General Information
District: Denizli, State: Aegean Region, Turkey
Area: 150 km²
Languages Spoken: Turkish
Long Distance Code: (+90) 0258
Best Time to Visit: May to August
International Access: Dalaman Airport (DLM)Description
Denizli (Municipality) is the capital city of Denizli Province. Denizli has achieved a remarkable economic development in the last decades based notably on textile production and exports. Having become a vibrant center of manufacturing focused on exportation, Denizli is frequently cited, along with a number of other Turkish cities, as one of the foremost examples of "Anatolian Tigers" in reference to its rapid pace of development. Denizli also attracts many visitors to the nearby mineral-coated hillside hot spring of Pamukkale, and with red color thermal water spa hotels Karahayit, just 5 km north of Pamukkale. Recently, Denizli becomes a major domestic tourism destination due to the various types of thermal waters in Sarayköy, Central/Denizli (where Karahayit and Pamukkale towns are located), Akköy (Gölemezli), Buldan (Yenicekent), Cardak districts. The ancient ruined city of Hierapolis, as well as ruins of the city of Laodicea on the Lycus, the ancient metropolis of Phrygia. Also in the depending of Honaz, about 10 miles west of Denizli is, what was, in the 1st century AD, the city of Colossae. The weather is hot in Denizli in summers, whereas in winters, it may occasionally be very cold with snow on the mountains that surround the city. Some years, snow can be observed in the urban areas. Springs and autumns are rainy, mild climate, warm. History The area has been occupied since prehistoric times, there were important ancient Greek and Roman towns nearby, (Hierapolis and Laodicea on the Lycus), which persisted through the Byzantine period. The city was founded in its current location after the area has been settled by the Turks. The inhabitants of Laodicea were resettled here in the Seljuk period. In the 17th century, the Turkish traveler Evliya Celebi visited Denizli and recorded the town as follows: "The city is called (Denizli) (which means seaside in Turkish) as there are several rivers and lakes around it. In fact it is a four day trip from the sea. Its fortress is of square shape built on flat ground. It has no ditches. Its periphery is 470 steps long. It has four gates. These are: painters gate in North, saddle-makers gate in the East, new Mosque gate in the South, and vineyard gate in the West. There are some fifty armed watchmen in the fortress, and they attend the shop. The main city is outside the fortress with 44 districts and 3600 houses. There are 57 small and large mosques and district masjids, 7 madrasahs, 7 children's schools, 6 baths and 17 dervish lodges. As everybody lives in vineyards the upper classes and ordinary people do not flee from each other."The city lived in peace for centuries without being involved in wars in a direct manner. Following World War I during the Independence War, the Greek forces managed to come as close as Sarayköy, a small town 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Denizli, but did not venture into Denizli where resistance was being prepared. Lifestyle The city is quite smart with trees along the main avenues and views of the surrounding mountains from many locations. As Denizli has prospered in the 1990s, new compounds of luxury villas have sprung up on the city's outskirts in areas like Camlik. In the city itself, air pollution from coal-fired central-heating become a problem in winter. However, with the quickly expanding network and extensive usage of natural gas, air pollution problem has declined greatly in the elevated parts of the city, especially where only natural gas are used for heating.There are some highly-regarded high schools such as Denizli Anadolu Ögretmen Lisesi, Denizli Anadolu Lisesi, and Denizli Erbakir Fen Lisesi. Pamukkale University opened in the 1990s, now in phase of academic maturing with more than 28,000 students. Many young people still leave to go to university in İzmir, Ankara or Istanbul, and sometimes stay there to build careers. Places of interest - Laodicea ad Lycum - 6 km (4 mi) north of Denizli near the village of Eskihisar. The city was established by Seleucid King, Antiochus II in honor of his wife, Laodice. This trading city was famous for its woolen and cotton cloths. A letter written by a Laodecian says: "I am happy. I have fortune and I am not in need of anything." Following a large earthquake which destroyed the city, what remains of the ancient city are one of the seven churches of Asia Minor, the stadium, the amphitheatre and the odeon, the cistern and the aqueduct. (see further Laodicean Church) - Hierapolis and Pamukkale World Heritage Sites -20 km north of Denizli Pamukkale traventines. The city of Hierapolis was founded by the Pergamon King Eumenes II in 190 BC. Its closeness to Laodicea led to commercial and military rivalry. The town was built in Greek style. Despite suffering a violent earthquake in 17 AD, it reached its peak during the Roman and Byzantine periods. It was reconstructed during the 2nd and 3rd centuries in stone from quarries in the area, in a Roman style. The town had its most glorious years during the reign of Roman Emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla and became an episcopal seat during the expansion of Christianity. However, as a result of several earthquakes, the most violent of which was in 1354, a great part of the town was destroyed, and its people migrated. - The Seljuq caravanserai Akhan, which is 6 km from Denizli City on the Ankara highway, and a great part of which still remains, was constructed by Karasungur bin Abdullah in 1253-54 when he was acting as the commander of Ladik. It was recently restored along with the Ottoman konaks nearby and is set to become a visitor's attraction by its own right. - Honaz mountain is a popular picnic excursion for Denizli's people in summer. - The nearby village of Goncali, which is on the railway line, is another excursion. People come to eat the charcoal-grilled thinly-cut kebab called cöp sis, preferably with the local süzme yoghurt and a glass of raki. - There is a statue of Atatürk at Cinar Meydani in the city centre. - Servergazi turbesi is located close to the Yenisehir neighborhood. The tomb of the 12th century Turkish commander of the Seljuk akinci unit is located there. Many locals enjoy visiting and making prayers at the tomb especially on weekends. - Teraspark Shopping and Lifestyle Center, Teraspark AVM, located in the yenisehir. Teraspark AVM is biggest shopping center in Denizli. - Forum Camlik Shopping and Lifestyle Center, Forum Camlik AVM, located in the heart of the city centre, Demokrasi Meydani/Square and surrounded by residential areas, welcomes more than 450,000 people within a catchment area of 20 minutes. The design of Forum Camlik was inspired by the rich architectural elements that are unique to Province of Denizli. Local stones like Denizli travertine and marble are used for the cladding of many buildings. The visitors will enjoy a detailed artwork, small ponds, squares and rich landscaping features. Given its wide range of shop mix and entertainment facilities, including theaters/cinemas, the centre became a very important destination for visitors in Denizli and neighbouring cities.Location
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.Climate
In general the Aegean region has a mild climate. However, it becomes harsher at altitude . Temperatures can rise to 40 °C during summer and fall to -10 °C in winter. There are about 80 days with precipitation, mainly during winter.