Pamukkale - stock photo

Denizli, Turkey - April 30, 2011. Ancient Roman spas in Pamukkale, Turkey. Pamukkale, meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli Province in southwestern Turkey. The great baths were constructed with huge stone blocks without the use of cement and consisted of various closed or open sections linked together. There are deep niches in the inner section, including the bath, library, and gymnasium. The hot springs have been used as a spa since the 2nd century BC. Pamukkale's terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs. The city contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. Tourism is and has been a major industry. People have bathed in its pools for thousands of years.