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Information
about Bergama and Pergamon (Pergamum)
Bergama is one of Turkey's oldest civilized
settlements and it has been inhabited from
pre-historic times through the Ionic, Roman and
Byzantine eras. It has yielded archeological treasures
of which importance is recognized worldwide. To the
southwest of Bergama lie the Aesclepion, an important
health center of the ancient world, the acropolis
founded on top of a steep hill (300 m) and the Temple
of Serapis (Kizil Avlu).
The modern day name of Bergama comes directly from its
ancient name, Pergamon. Known for centuries for its
monuments, it was a great city and served as the
center of Pergamon kingdom. Its location made it
strategic in the Middle Ages and it was the center of
the Karesiogullari Principality before it finally
became a part of the Ottoman State. The city's golden
era was during the reign of Attalos I and his son
Eumenes II, the time when an acropolis, theater and
other important projects were completed. It was an
important city in the Roman period. The city
experienced many developments during the reign of
Hadrian (117-138 AD), and it was adorned with Roman
works of art. In the Byzantine era after the spread of
Christianity, Bergama was first under the influence of
the bishopric of Ephesus, and then became a
metropolis.
Bergama and the ancient site of Pergamon are located
100 km north of Izmir in the Bakircay river basin.
Buses to Bergama from Istanbul take about 10 hours,
and from Izmir about 2 hours. There are also regular
bus connections between Bergama and Ayvalik, which is
a nice seaside town only 45 minutes away. There is
accommodation both in Ayvalik and Bergama town and a
tour of Pergamon may be arranged from Istanbul or
Kusadasi, or as part of an Aegean package. We also
have a certified guide in Pergamon for your private
tour needs. Although Pergamon is a major site among
those of the Aegean, the town of Bergama is not a busy
tourist destination and deserves a much closer look.
If you have time to see the town itself and maybe buy
some honey or bee pollen from a local shop, you may
appreciate the local character of the town.
Where to visit in Bergama
Bergama Archeology Museum: The museum contains
over 10,000 archaeological and ethnographic works. The
archaeological artifacts belong to the Bronze,
Archaic, Classic, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine
ages, and ethnographic exhibits consist of Ottoman
relics and articles from the Bergama region. Exhibited
in the outer garden of the museum are tombstones and
sarcophaguses, while the inner garden contains pieces
of architecture, reliefs, colossal statues and stone
inscriptions.
Pergamon - The Acropolis: The Acropolis was
built on an extremely steep hill, approached by a
winding road ascending some 300m. In this uniquely
designed city, religious, official, social and
commercial buildings are all found side-by-side. On
top of this hill, which has been inhabited since
ancient times, are the palaces of the King of Pergamon.
There are also five cisterns and an arsenal on the
hill. Below these buildings are the Temple of Athena,
as well as the Library and the Temple of Trajan. The
Altar of Zeus was carefully placed below these
buildings on a terrace. One of the steepest
amphitheaters in the world is found here. The lowest
section of the acropolis is the gymnasium and the
Temple of Demeter. Because of the topographical
location of the city and the course of the main
street, all the buildings of the acropolis are line up
in a north-south fashion, but the buildings all face
west so that they can be seen from far away. The Altar
of Zeus was not encircled with colonnades for the same
reason. The Agora and Athena Temple also have an
unobstructed view of the plain.
The Temple of Athena: The temple columns and
architrave pieces are still in Berlin. The fact that
the city's most important temple is the Temple of
Athena, as it is in Izmir, Miletus, Eriythrai, Foca
and Assos as well, reflect the religious tradition of
Western Anatolia. Eumenes II had a two-story covered
walkway built along the length of the eastern and
northern sides in the Hellenistic style, to
commemorate his successful war against the Seleucids,
Celts and Macedonians.
Pergamon Library: Next to the sacred site of
the Temple of Athena, are the remains of the famous
Pergamon library. The library, whose entrance used to
be on the top floor of the gallery, dates back to the
reign of Eumenes II and contains a magnificent reading
room measuring 13.53 x 15.35 meters. Equipped with
wooden shelves, the library also contained a 3.5m high
statue of Athena, which is now in the Berlin Museum.
During the reign of Eumenes II, the holding capacity
of the library multiplied immensely, and its only
equal in the world was the Library of Alexander.
Pergamon Arsenals: The military arsenal is on
the north end of the acropolis, on the other side of
the palaces and the Trajaneun, approximately 10m
downhill. There are five compartments, all parallel to
one another.
Trajaneum: This edifice located on the highest
terrace in the acropolis, was made for the Roman
Emperor Trajan, who was declared to be divine but
before that, there was undoubtedly a Hellenistic
structure on this site. Measuring 68 x 58 m, the
temple sits perched upon a high terrace surrounded on
three sides by covered promenades. Hadrian had the
temple built for his predecessor Trajan, but it is
known that both of the emperors were worshipped here
because the colossal heads of statues of Trajan and
Hadrian honoring them were found here. These items are
also on display in the Museum of Berlin.
Pergamon Theater: Built on a very steep slope,
the Pergamon theater is one of the Hellenistic
period's finest architectural achievements. The
steepest amphitheater in western Anatolia, it has a
capacity of 10,000 people. In Hellenistic times the
stage was made of wood; set up for the performances
and then taken down again. You can still see the stone
bases for the wooden posts.
The Temple of Dionysus: The people of Pergamon
built this very alluring temple on the north side of
the 250m- long theater terrace, specifically so it
would dominate the landscape of the area. This
well-preserved temple with its beautiful profile and
altar is a prostylos built upon a podium in the Ionic
style. This exquisite monumental structure with its
distinctively Roman understanding of art, located at
the end of a long road, was a big influence on the
European Baroque School of architecture. The building
underwent radical changes during the Roman era. The
original Hellenistic and Roman pieces are in the
Museum of Berlin.
The Altar of Zeus: Located about 25m below the
lower terrace of the Temple of Athena, the altar was
positioned at the very center of a 69m x 77m area. It
is likely that the area was open on every side so that
it could be easily seen for miles around. Its reliefs
are not background ornaments, but play just as
important role as the altar itself. The altar, only
the foundation of which is still in Pergamon, has been
reconstructed and is today on display, with all of its
reliefs, in the Berlin Museum.
Pergamon Upper and Lower Agoras: The Agoras
(Forum) are terraces located south of the Altar of
Zeus and were built in the Hellenistic period in the
style of Hermes, the god of commerce. Because of the
levels of the surrounding land, the covered patios are
three stories on the outside, but only one inside. The
Upper Agora was once the focal point of social and
commercial activities in the city, although little
remains of it today. South of the gymnasium is the
Lower Agora, work and homes of the common people. The
main street of the city passed right through the
middle of the Agora, and below is the Temple of
Demeter, the place where rituals for a better after
life were practiced.
Pergamon Gymnasiums: The magnificent gymnasium
of Pergamon was located on three terraces, one above
the other. Inscriptions have been found which indicate
that the first floor was for children, the second
floor for youth and the top floor for adults. The
Upper Gymnasium is also known as the Ceremony
Gymnasium. All three of these gymnasiums were built
during the dynastic period during the second half of
the 3rd century BC.
Aesclepion: Aesclepion translates as 'place of
Aesclepios', the son of Apollo and the god of healing
and health, and was an important health center in
Greco-Roman times. Among the types of therapy
practiced here were mud baths, sports, theater,
psychotherapy and use of medicinal waters. A
colonnaded street leads to the Aesclepion, and to the
left of the entrance is the temple of Aesclepios. This
domed temple with its exceptionally thick 3m walls was
built in 150 AD, with donations made to the god of
health. The interior was decorated with colorful
marble mosaics, and surrounded by galleries on three
sides; the Aesclepion has a passageway running through
the center alongside the sacred spring towards the
therapy building. It is thought that patients were
cured here by the sound of running water and by the
persuasive hypnotic techniques used by the priests.
The Temple of Serapis: The biggest structure in
the town is the Kizil Avlu (Red Basilica), a temple
made of red brick dedicated to the gods of Egypt. The
temple lies in what is now the modern day town of
Bergama. The two pools in the temple with towers
indicate ritual cleansing rites and a religious
background that was neither Greek nor Roman. The fact
that it faces west, and is decorated with statues in
an Egyptian style, indicates that it was possibly
presented to Serapis, the Egyptian god of the
underworld. In the Byzantine period, it was turned
into a church by extensive remodeling, especially to
the apse sections, and was dedicated to the Apostle
John. In early Christianity, it was one of the Seven
Churches of Asia Minor addressed by St John in the
Book of Revelation, who referred to it as the throne
of the Devil. Although a crumbling ruin, it still
contains the remains of a mosque in one of the towers.
Mosques in Bergama: Among the mosques located
in Bergama are Ulu Mosque, Sadirvan Mosque, Seljuk
Minaret, Kursunlu Mosque, Haci Hekim Mosque in the
bazaar, Laleli Mosque on the road to Aesclepion, Yeni
Mosque and Emir Sultan Minaret.
Caravanserais and Inns of Bergama: Cukur Inn -
between the leather shops and the Ekin Guild on
Seftali Street, this caravanserai was probably built
between 14th and 15th centuries, judging from the
construction techniques used. It is obvious that there
was also a vaulted bazaar here. There is window in the
small section of the room made from horizontally laid
bricks, and laid into a wall made from small stones
and mortar. Tas (Stone) Inn: located on Rustiye
Mektebi Street, beside the Kuplu Baths, the
inscription above the door indicate that this
caravanserai was built during the reign of Sultan
Mehmet's son, Sultan Murat, in 835 (1432 according to
the Gregorian calendar). The inscription is written on
chiseled stone, underneath, which is a low arch, made
in classical Turkish design, using nine stones with
marble doorposts. Traces of arches in front of the
door indicate that there was also a vault or dome here
one time. Upon entering the door, on the right are
vaulted rooms that were used as a barn, and a room
reserved for writing documents. In places were the
vaults have fallen, wooden coverings have been added.
Near Bergama, if you have your own transportation you
may visit the Kozak High plateau, 20 km from Bergama,
or thermal springs such as Mahmudiye Thermal Spring in
which the radioactivity of the hot waters is
relatively high. There is no calcium in these sodium
rich springs. You may also visit Geyiklidag Thermal
Springs. These hot springs, rich in sulfur, are used
to treat people suffering from chronic infection
syndrome, chronic upper respiratory infections and
nephritis. Situated between Bergama and Kozak Bucak,
there are no facilities around this area. Another
spring is the Guzellik Thermal Spring, which is
located 4 km from Bergama, Guzellik Thermal Spring has
is a domed facility with two marble pools. Built in
the reign of the Pergamon King Eumenes, the spring
known as The Eskulap Baths has been famous for years.
Today there are bungalows and a hotel belonging to
Bergama adjacent to the forest where the spring is
located. The temperature of the water is around 35șC,
and the sodium bicarbonate and sulfuric waters of this
spring are good for those suffering from rheumatism,
kidney disorders or cardiovascular conditions. In
addition, people with oily skin are believed to
benefit from its beautifying powers. Cleopatra is even
rumored to have visited the spring when she was in
Pergamon, and owes a portion of her much celebrated
beauty to the fact that she bathed here. Another
spring is the Haydar Thermal Spring north of Pergamon
in the village of Ilica near Kozak, there are the
ruins of a Roman bath, but the area is best known for
the hot sulfurous spring waters, good for muscle aches
and certain skin conditions. Or Derekoy Spa west of
the district of Bergama, 15km from Altinova is a
treatment center with curative baths said to be
beneficial for sufferers of several aches.
Group and private tour options are available for
Pergamon. Contact us for more information
on hotels in Ayvalik and Bergama and tour
options for Aegean Turkey.
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