![The terraced travertine pools of Pamukkale sit in the southwest Denizli region of Turkey, carrying with them the ancient history of a holy city where emperors soaked and, it’s rumored, Cleopatra swam. “Bathing is one of the many practices of letting go,” says Ekin Balcıog˘ lu of Hamam magazine. In Turkish culture and around the world, “bathing can be communal or personal,” and on some level, it’s always profound. Pamukkale’s seventeen pools sit above the Anatolian Plateau, featuring shallow thermal waters that range from 91°F to 212°F [33°C to 100°C]. Heated by subterranean tectonic activity, the water pushes its way through 984 feet [300 meters] of earth, including a layer of limestone that dissolves into the liquid, enriching the bicarbonate and colloidal-iron water with calcium carbonate. As the water evaporates, the calcium carbonate is left behind, creating a gel that eventually petrifies to form travertine, which gives the terraces their iconic white features. This explains the name Pamukkale, which translates to “cotton castle.” The region, which includes the ruins of the Greek holy city of Hierapolis, has been famed for its healing waters since 2 BCE. The springs are steeped in myths and legend, and folklore says the springs used to be where giants did their laundry before disappearing one day and leaving their cotton to dry in the Anatolian sun forever. Others tell tales of a girl throwing herself into the water and emerging beautiful, to be immediately swept up and married by a passing lord, living happily ever after. Photo 8 of 11 in 10 Bucket-List Saunas, Hot Springs, and Thermal Baths From Around the World](https://images2.dwell.com/photos/6711721526265430016/6955172814180003840/original.png?auto=format&q=35&w=160)
10 Bucket-List Saunas, Hot Springs, and Thermal Baths From Around the World
The terraced travertine pools of Pamukkale sit in the southwest Denizli region of Turkey, carrying with them the ancient history of a holy city where emperors soaked and, it’s rumored, Cleopatra swam. "Bathing is one of the many practices of letting go," says Ekin Balcıog˘ lu of Hamam magazine. In Turkish culture and around the world, "bathing can be communal or personal," and on some level, it’s always profound. Pamukkale’s seventeen pools sit above the Anatolian Plateau, featuring shallow thermal waters that range from 91 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Heated by subterranean tectonic activity, the water pushes its way through 984 feet of earth, including a layer of limestone that dissolves into the liquid, enriching the bicarbonate and colloidal-iron water with calcium carbonate. As the water evaporates, the calcium carbonate is left behind, creating a gel that eventually petrifies to form travertine, which gives the terraces their iconic white features. This explains the name Pamukkale, which translates to "cotton castle."