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Bergama is a city in the Aegean region of Turkey. It’s the home of the UNESCO World Heritage site of ancient Pergamon and is famous for its carpets.
Introduction to Bergama
Bergama was founded as Pergamon, which was the capital of the Attalid dynasty from 281 BC to 133 BC. It was then bequeathed to the Roman Empire by King Attalus III and later was named one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. The city remained in Roman and Byzantine hands except for a Sassanid invasion in 620s, an Umayyad invasion in 715, and rule by the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum between 1074 and 1097. It was conquered by Karasids in 1302 and became part of Ottoman Empire in 1337. Greece occupied the city during the Greco-Turkish War from June 19, 1919, to September 14, 1922. Today, it’s a great city to visit for the quality and importance of its ancient ruins. and worth exploring for a half to a full day.
Most people visit Bergama solely for the ancient ruins of the Asclepeion or Acropolis of Pergamon, but wandering around the rest of the city is worth it as well.
Getting to Bergama
The nearest airport to Bergama is in Izmir. You can transfer to the bus terminal and Izmir and catch one of the frequent buses. The Bergama bus terminal is on the outskirts of town, but there’s a free shuttle service runs into the city center.
Getting Around Bergama
Once in town, everything is pretty much within walking distance. I never had to use a taxi, and my hotels were at most a 15 minute walk from all the major attractions. There are some hills up towards the Acropolis of Pergamon, but you can ride a cable car to get up to the ruins.
Where to Stay in Bergama
Bergama has gotten a lot more attention ever since ancient Pergamon was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. Since then, some very nice hotels have popped up, mostly situated in historic homes.
I’ve stayed overnight in Bergama twice. The first time was a few years before the UNESCO designation was made, and the second time after. Both stays were in the old Greek quarter near the Acropolis of Pergamon and within walking distance to all the attractions in town.
Athena Pension
On my very first visit to the city, I stayed at Athena Pension. It’s run by a lovely local family and situated in an old Greek mansion with a beautiful garden. A delicious breakfast was included in the rate.
My room was very comfortable and completely silent at night. It was a bit on the chilly side but that kind of added to the experience. The rooms have a late 19th to early 20th century feel, especially with the giant key.
Attalos Suites Hotel
On my second overnight, I chose Attalos Suites Hotel. It’s situated in a restored house with a big garden. Staff is very friendly and helpful and the owner speaks excellent English.
There’s a seasonal pool as well as a restaurant and garden café on site. We didn’t have the energy to use the pool, but we did eat a decent dinner at the restaurant.
My room was spacious and modern and very comfortable at night. Everyone in my group got a good night’s sleep, and we all loved the huge Turkish breakfast served in the morning.
Where to Eat in Bergama
I’ve had limited experience with restaurants in Bergama, but I’ve been happy with my choices. I’ve eaten some delicious meals.
Akropol
Akropol is a restaurant near the Acropolis of Pergamon. It’s situated in a historic building with a b beautiful garden and is among the most frequented restaurants in the city. I had a delicious meal there on my first visit to the city in May 2011. Prices are a little higher than normal but it’s worth it.
Burak Lokantası
On my second visit to the city in June 2022, we asked a few locals about a good place to eat. They recommended Burak Lokantası, which is a few minutes walk from the Red Basilica. It was an excellent choice.
Dishes are available cafeteria-style, with everything served from behind a glass display at the entrance. All of the food is home cooked and delicious. Everyone was satisfied with their meals. I had a vegetable stew topped with yogurt and a side of rice and kuru fasulye. Prices are more than reasonable, and service is friendly.
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Republic Square
Republic Square (Cumhuriyet Meydanı) sits in the heart of the modern part of Bergama. The streets off the square contain mostly ugly modern concrete buildings with a few nice stone buildings mixed in.
Old Greek Quarter
As you get closer to the Acropolis, the scenery changes dramatically. The old Greek quarter, now the Kurtuluş neighborhood, is filled with beautiful stone homes. Several of these homes were inhabited by Greek families until the terrible population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1923. Many have been restored while others are in need of repairs.
I wandered through the old Greek quarter a few times, first while walking to and from the Acropolis, and another couple times looking for something to eat.
I snapped some random photos of homes that caught my eye. Some of the homes still had original decorative features such as the Greek key above windows and doors.
Red Basilica
The Red Basilica (Kızıl Avlu) is a Roman temple included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the ancient city of Pergamon. It’s open daily and admission for foreigners is €3 (as of September 2024). It’s a short walk from the foot of the Pergamon Acropolis. Visit the official website for more info.
The Red Basilica was built in the 2nd century, possibly during the reign of Hadrian and under his orders. It may have been used for the worship of the Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis, among others.
The temple is one of the largest surviving Roman structures from the Greek world. The Red Basilica sat in a sacred courtyard 270 meters long by 100 meters wide. It was surrounded by stone walls standing at least 13 meters high.
At some point during the Christian period, the temple was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt as a Christian church in the 5th century, with the eastern wall demolished and replaced as an apse. The building was converted to a mosque after the Ottomans conquered Pergamon in 1336.
Entrance to the Red Basilica
The temple, today known as the Red Basilica, was entered from the west through a door that stood at least 14 meters high and was seven meters wide. The threshold, which is still in place, weighs 30 tons and is made out of a single slab of marble.
Interior of the Red Basilica
The structure is 60 meters long by 28 meters wide and the highest surviving wall is 19 meters. It was originally covered by a wooden roof and had no interior supports. The walls were built entirely out of red brick and were once covered in marble that has since disappeared.
The original interior of the temple was destroyed when it was converted to a Christian basilica. There are 12 arched niches on the western half, which was the only part of the structure that had windows. The niches are 2.55 meters wide by 6 meters high and likely held statues of gods.
In the eastern end of the hall was a base for a statue raised 1.5 meters above the floor. The statue would have been at least ten meters tall. A hole in the base indicates priests may have been able to climb into the statue to make it speak during ceremonies. The eastern end of the hall was probably off-limits to the public and could only be entered by priests and their attendants.
Finally, looking up at the walls of the temple, it’s possible to see traces of the fire that destroyed it during the early Christian period. There are also architectural fragments that seem to be recycled from older buildings as well as original ornamental elements.
Statue of Sekhmet
In the southern courtyard of the Red Basilica is a restored statue of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet. Fragments of the original statue, which was used as a support for a stoa, were discovered during excavations in the 1930s. It stood 8.5 meters high. Pieces of the original marble floor, benches, and wall coverings sit nearby and have also been restored.
Rotundas
The Red Basilica is flanked by two domed rotundas at its eastern end. They were likely used for cult functions and were originally clad in marble. Each one stands 18 meters high with a diameter of 12 meters. The doors were originally 11.5 meters high, and they were lit by an opening in the dome that was originally 3.7 meters wide. The opening was reduced to about one meter in the Ottoman period.
The north rotunda was converted to a mosque and is closed to the public. The south rotunda became an olive oil factory in the 19th century, but it has been restored and is open to the public. Traces of smoke from its days as an olive oil factory can still be seen.
The south wall of the south rotunda opens to a small depot building that holds the finds from the excavations at the Red Basilica and other sites. Some of these finds are on display around the room.
A few of the finds include fragments of figural pillars depicting human faces and animals as well as architectural fragments. During my first visit, slabs with Hebrew and Ottoman inscriptions were being shown.
Bergama Museum
The Bergama Museum (Bergama Müzesi) is an archaeological and ethnographic museum. It can trace its origins back to 1886, when a small museum was built in the garden of the excavation house at the Pergamon Acropolis. In 1924, several artifacts were transferred to a community center in the city center to be exhibited. In 1932, Marshall Fevzi Çakmak (1876-1950) visited the city and ordered officials to establish a museum. The Bergama Museum opened on October 30, 1936.
The museum is open daily and admission for foreigners is €3 (as of September 2024). It’s located in the city center a few blocks south of Republic Square. Check the official website for more info.
Ethnographic Section
First is the ethnographic section. The collection features items representing the social and cultural history of Bergama and the region. Clothing from the Yörük, Türkmen, and Çepni tribes, as well as bridal and traditional clothing, are on display. Also included is clothing worn by Zeybek warrior Tuzcu Efe during the Turkish War of Independence.
The carpet weaving tradition of Bergama, which dates back to the 11th century, is also covered. Bergama carpets are regarded as some of the finest in Anatolia. Many of the 70 to 80 villages in the Bergama region take part in the tradition.
Other items included in the ethnographic section are incense burners and candlesticks, jewelry and accessories, weapons, and calligraphy sets.
Archaeological Section
The archaeological section at the Bergama Museum includes several finds from ancient Pergamon, especially the Acropolis.
The most important artifacts, such as the Altar of Zeus, were shipped off to Berlin in 1870 to be displayed in the Pergamon Museum, but enough was left to display at the Bergama Museum.
Other artifacts are from the Asclepeion as well as the ancient Greek cities of Pitane, Grynion, and Myrina, which are also in the region. Pitane was near the modern town of Çandarlı while Grynion and Myrina were both near Aliağa.
Finally, in the garden outside the museum, is a collection of Ottoman tombstones and sarcophagi.
