Pergamon

Pergamon

Pergamon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site perched above the modern city of Bergama in western Turkey, celebrated as one of the most powerful Hellenistic capitals of antiquity and the seat of a dynasty that rivalled Rome in cultural ambition.

History

The Attalid dynasty ruled Pergamon from the 3rd century BC, transforming a modest hilltop fortress into a brilliant capital of arts and learning. The Great Altar of Pergamon, built c. 180 BC and dedicated to Zeus, was so magnificent that it was considered one of the wonders of antiquity; its sculpted friezes were excavated by German archaeologists in the 19th century and are now reconstructed in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum. The city also housed a library of 200,000 volumes that rivalled the Library of Alexandria, and the Asclepion healing sanctuary below the acropolis was visited by the physician Galen.

What to See

The acropolis crowns a steep hill with sweeping views: the dramatic theatre, one of the steepest in the ancient world, is carved directly into the hillside. The Temple of Trajan and Temple of Athena stand partly restored. Below the acropolis, the Asclepion — a Greco-Roman medical centre — features colonnaded streets, a theatre, and a sacred spring. The Bergama Archaeology Museum in town displays key finds.

Getting There

Pergamon is 100 km north of Izmir in Izmir province. Buses run regularly from Izmir to Bergama (about 2 hours). The site is 4 km from Bergama town centre; taxis and dolmus minibuses serve the acropolis entrance.

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