Hierapolis Ancient Theatre

The theatre is the high point of a visit to Hierapolis, in both senses. It is cut into the hillside above the ruins, and it is the best-preserved structure on the site, widely rated one of the finest Roman theatres anywhere in Turkey. Google Maps reviewers give it 4.9 out of 5 (4,478 reviews), the highest score of anything at Pamukkale, and standing inside it you understand why.

What you are looking at

The theatre is a steep semicircle of stone benches set into the slope, estimated to have seated somewhere between 12,000 and 15,000 people (estimates vary). What sets it apart is the stage building behind the orchestra, the scaenae frons: a tall, multi-storey wall carved with columns, niches and friezes of gods and mythological scenes. Much of it still stands, and the quality of the carving is extraordinary for its age. Some of the very finest reliefs have been moved into the archaeological museum for protection, but a great deal remains in place, so you can read the decoration from your seat. The friezes tell stories: panels of Apollo, the city’s patron god, and the huntress Artemis run across the stage front alongside scenes of myth and procession, and later Roman work wove the imperial family into the design. It rewards patience, because the longer you look the more figures resolve out of the stone.

A little history

The structure you see was built in the 2nd century AD under the emperor Hadrian, on the footprint of an earlier Hellenistic theatre, then richly redecorated around AD 200 under Septimius Severus, whose family appears in some of the carvings. So the standing building is roughly 1,900 years old, with its origins reaching further back still. It stayed in use for centuries and, like many Roman theatres, was later adapted for the broader spectacles Roman audiences came to expect, not just drama and music. A long modern restoration by an Italian archaeological mission has stabilised the seating and pieced the stage back together, which is why it presents so well today.

Climbing it and the view

Climb the seating, it is allowed and it is the whole point. From the upper rows you get the classic Hierapolis view: the curve of the cavea falling away below you, the carved stage in front, and beyond it the ruins running down to the white terraces and the valley. It is one of the best photo spots on the site. The stage area itself is sometimes fenced to protect the carvings, so you admire it from above rather than walking across it.

Standing in it

Sit down for a few minutes rather than photographing it and moving on. From the upper rows the whole shape of the place resolves: the sweep of the seating, the carved stage below, and the ruins falling away to the white terraces beyond. In the shoulder seasons you may have entire rows to yourself. It is preserved for looking rather than performing, so unlike some restored Turkish theatres it is not a regular festival venue, though the authorities stage the occasional special event here.

Visiting

It is a short visit, 20 to 30 minutes, and it is covered by the single site ticket that includes all of Hierapolis and the terraces. There is no shade in the seating, so the climb is hot and the stone glares at midday; late afternoon brings softer light onto the stage, cooler stone underfoot and better photographs. To find it, follow the main path uphill from the terraces or the museum; it is signposted and sits above the central ruins, a short climb from the Ploutonion and the path up to the Martyrium of St Philip, so it slots naturally into a loop around Hierapolis before or after the terraces below.