Laodicea is a vast Roman city on a plateau ten minutes from Pamukkale, with a colonnaded street almost a kilometre long, two theatres, a stadium, temples and a restored 4th-century Byzantine church, now under a roof and crossed by walkways. It is the seventh of the Seven Churches of Revelation, the one John calls lukewarm, and one of the most active excavations in Türkiye: every year brings something new.
Most visitors to Pamukkale don’t know it exists. Two hours are enough for the highlights, and for anyone travelling with an interest in the Bible it is an essential stop.
A little history
Antiochus II founded the city in the 3rd century BC and named it after his wife, Laodice. It stood at the crossroads of the routes linking Ephesus, Phrygia and the south, and grew rich on the black wool of its sheep, on banking and on a medical school famous for an eye salve. It was so rich that after the earthquake of AD 60 it turned down help from Rome and rebuilt itself. It had a large Jewish community and, from the time of St Paul, a Christian church, the one addressed in the Book of Revelation.
Earthquakes in the 5th and 7th centuries ruined it, and its people moved to Denizli. Since 2003, excavations by Pamukkale University have uncovered and partly rebuilt the main street, the church and many of the temples.
What to see in Laodicea
Syria Street
The main avenue runs through the city from gate to gate, lined with columns on both sides, with its original paving and rebuilt shops. This is where you grasp the scale of Laodicea. Halfway along is a monumental crossroads with granite columns.
The Church of Laodicea
A 4th-century basilica, one of the oldest in Anatolia, with mosaic and marble floors, the synthronon (the tiered clergy benches in the apse), the baptistery and wall paintings. It is protected by a roof and you walk through it on glass walkways. It was restored between 2010 and 2016, and it is the building that draws pilgrims.
Temple A and the sanctuary
A partly rebuilt 2nd-century AD temple, with its colonnaded courtyard and an underground room where a glass walkway passes over the inscriptions. Next to it are the baths and the nymphaeum, the monumental fountain.
The two theatres
The North Theatre, which held about 15,000 spectators, has been restored and is used for concerts. The West Theatre, Hellenistic and unrestored, looks out towards the white terraces of Pamukkale. From the upper rows you can see ancient Hierapolis on the hillside opposite.
The lukewarm water
Beside the water tower are the stone pipes, encrusted with lime, that brought water by aqueduct from the hot springs near Denizli. It arrived lukewarm, neither cold like the water of Colossae nor hot like that of Hierapolis: exactly the image Revelation uses for the faith of the Laodiceans.
Tips for your visit
Allow an hour and a half to two hours. It is a flat, open plateau with dirt paths and walkways, manageable for almost everyone, but there is no shade.
- In summer, go first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon; the midday heat is intense.
- Bring a hat, water and closed shoes.
- Combine it with Pamukkale on the same morning: they are ten minutes apart, and the contrast between their waters is the best way to understand both.
Tickets and prices
At the time of writing (2026), entry costs €13 under the official 2027 rates. On my tours the ticket is either included or your guide takes care of it.
Where it is and how to get there
Laodicea lies beside the road between Denizli and Pamukkale, about six kilometres from the terraces: ten minutes by car or taxi. Minibuses between Denizli and Pamukkale pass the turn-off, which is a 1.5 km walk from the entrance.
Visiting Laodicea on my tours
It has its own half-day Laodicea tour from Pamukkale, and it is paired with the terraces on the Pamukkale and Laodicea day tour. On Biblical and Spiritual Türkiye it is the final stop on the Seven Churches route. For the terraces themselves, read Pamukkale: travertine pools and Hierapolis.
If you are following the Seven Churches or want to make the most of Pamukkale, tell me about it and plan your tailor-made trip.