Denizli is a city inAegeanTurkey, and seat of the province ofDenizli. The city forms the urban part of the districtsMerkezefendi andPamukkale, with a population of 691 783 in 2024.[2]
Denizli has seen economic development in the last few decades, mostly due to textile production and exports.[3][4]
Denizli also attracts visitors to the nearby mineral-coated hillside hot spring ofPamukkale, and with red color thermal water spa hotelsKarahayıt, just 5 kilometres (3 miles) north of Pamukkale. Recently, Denizli became a major domestic tourism destination due to the various types of thermal waters inSarayköy, Central/Denizli (where Karahayıt and Pamukkale towns are located),Akköy (Gölemezli),Buldan (Yenicekent), and Çardak districts.
The ancient ruined city ofHierapolis, as well as ruins of the city ofLaodicea on the Lycus, the ancient metropolis ofPhrygia, are nearby. Also in the vicinity ofHonaz, about 10 mi (16 km) west of Denizli is, what was, in the 1st century AD, the city ofColossae.
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, with a mild warm climate.
The worddeniz means 'sea, large lake'. No sea or lake can be found near Denizli. However, the original Turkish name for the place wasTonguzlu, pronounced astoŋuzlu ordoŋuzlu, laterdonuzlu (fromtoŋuz 'wild boar'). Thus Tonguzlu means a 'place where boars dwell'. Because of the phonetical process (t->d, ŋ->n), the name was changed intodenizlü ordenizli, similar in pronunciation but different in meaning, in order to avoid the connotation 'boar, pig', which is consideredoffensive in Islam.[5]Ibn Battuta recorded that the city was calledDun Ghuzluh. The latter is said to mean 'the town of the swine'.[6]
The city was conquered by theSeljuk Turks. Inhabitants of Laodicea were also resettled here in the Seljuk period.[7]
Ibn Battuta visited the city, noting that "In it there are seven mosques for the observance of Friday prayers, and it has splendid gardens, perennial streams, and gushing springs. Most of the artisans there are Greek women, for in it are many Greeks who are subject to the Turks and who pay dues to the sultan, including thejizya, and other taxes."[8]
In the 17th century, the Ottoman travellerEvliya Çelebi visited Denizli and recorded the town as follows: "The city is called by Turks as (Denizli) (which meanshas abundant of water sources like sea 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 mosques, sevenmadrasahs, seven children's schools, six baths and 17dervish lodges. As everybody lives in vineyards the upper classes and ordinary people do not flee from each other."[citation needed]
The city lived in peace for centuries without being involved in wars in a direct manner. FollowingWorld War I, during theTurkish War of Independence, theGreek Army managed to capture and come as close asSarayköy, a small town 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Denizli, but did not venture into Denizli. They were then ousted from the region byMustafa Kemal Pasha. The most widespread symbols of Denizli province are of textile industry.
Denizli has aMediterranean climate (Köppen:Csa orTrewartha:Cs), with hot, dry summers and mild to cool, rainy winters. The inland areas, like Çardak, Bozkurt, Çivril, and Çal districts/counties of the province are cooler and have a higher elevation than the seaside, western part of the Province. Therefore, there are climatic differences within the province and even in the Denizli urbanized area.[citation needed] The land is open to winds coming from the Aegean Sea as the mountains are perpendicular to the coastline.
Highest recorded temperature: 44.4 °C (111.9 °F) on 15 August 2007
Lowest recorded temperature: −11.4 °C (11.5 °F) on 9 February 1965[9]
Climate data for Denizli (1991–2020, extremes 1957–2025)
The extension of İzmir-Aydınhighway to Denizli has been announced for several years. Initial infrastructure was laid inAydın, but the rest is still forthcoming. The present Aydın-Denizli road, has a very high level of traffic, especially trucks, with each town along the road possessing its own industrial zone.
Laodicea ad Lycum: 6 km (4 mi) north of Denizli near the village ofEskihisar. The city was established bySeleucid 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 ofAsia Minor, thestadium, theamphitheatre and theodeon, thecistern and theaqueduct.(see furtherLaodicean Church)
Hierapolis andPamukkaleWorld Heritage Sites -20 km (12 mi) north of DenizliPamukkaletravertines. The city of Hierapolis was founded by thePergamon KingEumenes 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 EmperorsSeptimius Severus andCaracalla 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.
TheSeljuqcaravanserai Akhan, which is 6 km (4 mi) 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 theOttomankonaks 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 ofGoncalı, which is on the railway line, is another excursion. People come to eat the charcoal-grilled thinly-cut kebab calledçöp şiş, preferably with the localsüzme yoghurt and a glass ofrakı.
There is a statue ofAtatürk at Çınar Meydanı in the city centre.
Servergazi türbesi is located near to the Yenişehir neighborhood. The tomb of the 12th century Turkish commander of theSeljukakıncı unit is located there. Many locals visit and pray at the tomb especially on weekends.
Forum Çamlık Shopping and Lifestyle Center, Forum Çamlık AVM, located in the heart of the city centre, Demokrasi Meydanı/Square and surrounded by residential areas, welcomes more than 450,000 people within a catchment area of 20 minutes. The design of Forum Çamlık was inspired by the rich architectural elements that are unique to Province of Denizli. Local stones like Denizlitravertine and marble are used for the cladding of many buildings.
^ab"Denizli".citypopulation.de. Retrieved26 January 2024.
^Bernard Fingleton; Ayda Eraydın; Raffaele Paci; Bilge Armatlı Köroğlu; Burak Beyhan (2003). "Chapter 11: The changing role of SMEs in the regional growth process: The case of Denizli".Regional Economic Growth, SMEs and the Wider Europe.Ashgate Publishing. p. 229.ISBN0-7546-3613-5.
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