Asklepion (Temple of Health)
An important health treatment centre of the ancient world. According to Pausanias, the first Temple of Asklepios was founded in the first half of the 4th century BC.
View on map8 places to visit in the Bergama district of Izmir: Asklepion (Temple of Health), Kızıl Avlu (Temple of Serapis) and Bergama Museum. Plan your trip to Bergama with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Bergama is the largest district of Izmir province by area. It is the most important district of the Bakırçay basin in terms of agriculture, industry, trade, history and tourism.
History
The Kingdom of Pergamon became one of the most powerful Hellenistic kingdoms in Anatolia between 280 and 133 BC. The Pergamon Libraries, among the most famous structures of their time, and the Pergamon Asklepieion, the health centre of the ancient world, were built in this period. In 133 BC the Roman Empire took over the city of Pergamon by bequest and developed it as a Roman provincial metropolis. The city suffered great damage in the earthquake of 262 and was exposed to Arab raids in the 7th and 8th centuries. Ancient Pergamon, in Bergama, retained importance as a centre of culture, science and art during the Hellenistic period.
Economy
Bergama’s economy is based mainly on agriculture. Tobacco, cotton, olives and grapes are grown in the fertile Bakırçay Plain. In the Kozak Plateau, pine nuts, which have high economic returns, are an important source of income. Carpet weaving and kilim weaving are developed non-agricultural activities in the district.
Ancient Structures
The Pergamon Acropolis contains the Altar of Zeus, the propylon and stoas of the Temple of Athena. The Asklepion of Bergama was an important health treatment centre in antiquity.
History and Culture
The Bergama town centre is built on the slope of ancient Pergamon, the capital in the Hellenistic period. Bergama was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014; despite invasions throughout its history, it has been continuously inhabited. Pergamon is also remembered as the home town of the physician Galen. The city was rebuilt in 1170 during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I. Bergama has retained its importance during the Ottoman period with many mosques, caravanserais, hammams and commercial centres.
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