Pergamon was the capital of the Attalid dynasty (3rd–2nd centuries BCE), a kingdom that controlled a large part of western Anatolia and became one of the main centres of Hellenistic civilisation. The Attalid kings created the Library of Pergamon — 200,000 volumes, second only to Alexandria — and the city gave its name to parchment (the scraped animal skin that replaced papyrus when Egypt cut off supplies in retaliation for the library rivalry).
Under Roman rule, Pergamon became even more impressive — the Asclepion (healing sanctuary) became famous across the empire, and the city reached a population of 200,000. Today’s Bergama is a modern town of 60,000 people immediately adjacent to ruins of extraordinary quality.
- Region
- Aegean Coast / İzmir Province
- Distance to İzmir
- 100 km north (1.5 hrs)
- UNESCO listing
- 2014 (Archaeological Site)
- Known for
- Acropolis, Library, Asclepion, parchment
Pergamon Acropolis
The Pergamon Acropolis crowns a 335 m hill above the modern town — reachable by cable car (teleferik) or on foot. The highlight is the theatre, one of the steepest in the ancient world (10,000 seats at 80° incline), carved directly into the hillside with a view across the plain. The remains of the Temple of Athena, the library building, the royal palaces and the arsenal spread across the summit.
Asclepion
The Asclepion 2 km from the Acropolis was one of the most famous healing centres of antiquity — a combination of sanctuary, spa and medical school where the physician Galen trained (2nd century CE). Patients arrived seeking cures through dream therapy, mud baths, music, spring water and exercise. The ruins include a colonnaded sacred way, a round temple, a theatre and the underground tunnel where patients heard whispering of healing prescriptions.
Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu)
The Kızıl Avlu (Red Courtyard or Red Basilica) is a massive Roman temple complex in the centre of modern Bergama — the largest Roman religious complex in Anatolia. Built in red brick in the 2nd century CE for the Egyptian gods Serapis and Isis, it was later converted into a Byzantine basilica and is one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in Revelation.
Bergama Archaeological Museum
The Bergama Müzesi in the modern town centre holds important finds from the Acropolis and Asclepion, including Hellenistic sculpture, Roman portrait busts and medical instruments from the Asclepion. The most famous objects from Pergamon — the Pergamon Altar — are in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, but this museum puts the site in context.
Bergama old town
The old town (kale altı) of Bergama has atmospheric Ottoman-era streets, a covered bazaar, textile workshops (Bergama carpets are famous) and good traditional restaurants. A 2014 UNESCO listing covers the entire historical landscape — ancient city, Christian sites and Ottoman town together.
Pergamon in pictures
Frequently asked questions
Pergamon
3Take a bus from İzmir's Üçkuyular terminal to Bergama (1.5 hrs). Buses run regularly. A rental car gives flexibility to combine with Assos and Ayvalık on a day trip from İzmir.
Allow a full day: 2 hours for the Acropolis, 1 hour for the Asclepion, 30 minutes for the Red Basilica and 30 minutes for the museum. The site is spread across a large area — comfortable shoes are essential.
They're different: Ephesus is larger, more complete and more visited. Pergamon is more dramatic (the hilltop setting and steep theatre), less crowded, and includes the extraordinary Asclepion. Many travellers visit both on a multi-day Aegean circuit.