More detailed information about Pergamon's sights can be found with the photos in the photo gallery.
The 300 metre high acropolis of ancient Pergamon towers over the modern town of Bergama which lies in the broad plain of the Bakır Çayı river (the ancient Kaikos). Two tributaries of the river pass on either side of the acropolis: to the west the Bergama Çayı (the ancient Selinus) which flows through Bergama (see photos 8 and 9); and to the east the Kestel Çayı (the ancient Ketios) which was damned in 1992 below the acropolis to form an artificial U-shaped lake (see photos 3 and 4).
The visual effect of the steep-sided hill rising from the plain and crowned with ancient ruins is quite impressive, and the view of the surrounding landscape from the top of the acropolis can be breathtaking, especially when a clear sky lets the Aegean light work its magic.
The defensive advantages of the site made it an obvious place to build a fortress city in ancient times. The Hellenistic city of Pergamon was founded in the 4th century BC as a treasury for much of Alexander the Great's war booty.
The Greeks and Romans built their cities to impress, and as in Ephesus, ever more grand gleaming buildings, including temples, gymnasia, theatres, a palace and the famous library, were added during antiquity to dazzle visitors and assert wealth and cultural superiority. While Pergamon's temples were not on the huge scale of Ephesus' Temple of Artemis or even Athens' Parthenon, the collective effect of this city's buildings and their situation, particularly the theatre, must have been pretty awe-inspring.
Today, Bergama is a typical Anatolian market town in whose narrow streets you are just as likely to see tractors and pickup trucks full of watermelons as tourist coaches. The northern end of the town (the old town) lies at the foot of the acropolis, near the river, over which the main street Bankalar Cad leads southwest towards Ayvalik and Izmir.
The ruin of the enormous Roman Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu, also known as the Red Hall and the Temple of Serapis) sits astride the Bergama Çayı river. Like the name says, the ancient temple is very red, having been built in the 2nd century AD from large flat ceramic bricks.
Near the Red Basilica is the smaller of the town's two bus stations (otogar), for buses heading north and east of Bergama. The main otogar is near the football stadium, 2.5 km south along Bankalar Cad. Head past the archaeological museum, then turn left onto Böblingen Cad.
Visiting the sights of Pergamon can easily take a whole day, but if possible it worth stretching it out to at least two days. Although it is a small town, Bergama is pleasant place with a few good, reasonably priced restaurants, hotels and pensions. It also has a couple of Ottoman mosques, the Kurşunlu Cami and Ulu Cami, and a hamam, and some pleasant footpaths around the local farmland.
Many of the Pergamon's historical treasures can be found in the town's excellent archaeological museum. Other archaeological finds, such as the Zeus Altar, are now in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, on which we will be reporting soon.
Around a kilometre west of Bergama are the modest remains of the Aesclepieion (Asclepion), an ancient healing centre.
Text and photos: © David John 2004 - 2010
Page 2 History of Pergamon >
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| Pergamon, Turkey |
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area map |
map of Aegean area and western Turkey
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| Pergamon, Turkey |
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practical information |
| name: |
Pergamon, also known as Pergamum, the Hellenistic city (ancient Greek Pargauma / Pergamos: people of the high city).
Bergama is the modern Turkish town,
25 km inland from the Aegean Sea
and 85 km north of Izmir.
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| region: |
Aegean
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| province: |
Izmir
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| population: |
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| local time: |
Eastern European Time (EET)
Daylight Saving Schedule:
Summer (from last Sunday in March)
GMT/UTC +3 hours
Winter (from last Sunday in October)
GMT/UTC +2 hours
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| currency: |
Turkish Lira (TRY)
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| dialling code: |
+90 232
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| climate: |
Mediterranean
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| language: |
Turkish
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Further information for Turkey, including visa details, can be found on the main page introduction to Turkey.
Local addresses
Bergama Tourist Information Office
Hükümet Konagi, B Blok Zemin Kat (near the museum)
Tel: (0232) 631 28 51
summer Mon-Fri 8.30 am - 7 pm;
winter daily 8.30 am - 5.30 pm
Archaeological Museum (Arkeoloji Müzesi)
Atatürk Meydani (Atatürk Square),
on Bankalar Cad, Bergama's main street.
Tue-Sun 8.30 am - 5.30 pm; entrance: 4 lira
The Pergamon Acropolis
daily 8.30 am - 5.30 pm; May-September until 7 pm;
entrance: 10 Turkish lira
Some may find the walk up to the acropolis strenuous, especially in summer. A taxi costs around 15 Lira.
Some taxi drivers will offer to drive you to Pergamon's sites on a tight schedule (e.g. 1 hour at the acropolis) for around 30 Euro, which you may find attractive if you can afford it and don't have much time.
The Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu)
(also known as the Red Hall and the Temple of Serapis)
on Istikläl Mydani, on the Bergama Çayı (River Selinus)
daily 8.30 am - 5.30 pm; entrance: 5 lira
The Aesclepieion archaeological site
daily 8.30 am - 5.30 pm; entrance: 10 lira
An easy walk or drive of just over a kilometre along a dirt road which starts next to the Kurşunlu Cami mosque, opposite the post office (PTT) on Bankalar Cad.
There is a car park and cafe outside the entrance to the site.
Bus stations (otogar)
Bergama has two bus stations:
The main otogar is on Böblingen Cad, near the football stadium, 500 m south of the archaeological museum.
The smaller otogar, for buses heading north and east from Bergama, is on Istikläl Mydani, next to the Red Basilica.
A local Metro bus service runs between the two otogars.
Some of the information and photos in this guide to Turkey originally appeared in 2004-2005 on davidjohnberlin.com.
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