Pergamon, an ancient city in Turkiye, is renowned for its stunning hilltop Acropolis, its rich Greco-Roman history, and its legacy as a center of culture and learning in antiquity.
Located about a three-hour drive north of Ephesus, the ruins at Pergamon (also known as Bergama) are a must-see for travelers to Turkiye. In fact, after entering the acropolis at Pergamon my first reaction was this: Why in the world isn’t this place as famous as Athens or Rome?
The ruins at Pergamon are as stunning as any in the world. That’s due both to their beauty and to their location, perched high atop a 1300-foot promontory that overlooks the modern town of Bergama and surrounding hills. At times it felt a bit like Machu Picchu up there—windswept, remote, and evocative of mystery.
Pergamon was once one of the greatest cities in the Greco-Roman world. Its strategic location atop a hill near the Caicus River and its proximity to major trade routes contributed to its rise as a significant power in the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
The city’s amphitheater is a remarkable feat of engineering and design. Carved into the hillside of the Acropolis, it could seat about 10,000 spectators and offered breathtaking views of the valley below, enhancing the dramatic experience of performances and gatherings.
Pergamon was a renowned center of learning thanks to its library, one of the largest in the ancient world (our word parchment derives from Pergamon, in fact). Located in the Acropolis, near the Temple of Athena, the library symbolized the city’s intellectual aspirations and its rulers’ commitment to scholarship.
The city was guarded by four patron deities: Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, and Asclepius, and in 29 BCE it became the site of the first imperial cult temple in Asia, the temple of Augustus.
Such a dramatic site clearly needed a really big altar to honor the king of the gods, and so the altar to Zeus was built. It was the largest altar of the ancient world, an immense structure nearly 120 feet wide and 40 feet high, with a decorated frieze depicting the struggle between the gods and giants. Fires from the sacrifices there could be seen from far away, a symbol of imperial might as well as religious devotion.
Unfortunately, in the nineteenth century the Germans took Zeus’ altar to a museum in Berlin, a cultural theft on the same order as the British swiping the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon. (You can go to Berlin to see the altar at the Pergamum Museum, and perhaps we should be grateful that its splendor has been preserved somewhere.)
Today on top of Pergamon’s hill there are only a few scattered stones left from the altar, but enough remains of its other marble monuments to give a sense of the grandeur that once was here.
A Significant Christian Site
Pergamon played an important role in early Christian history as one of the Seven Churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. It was described as the place “where Satan’s throne is” (Revelation 2:13), no doubt a reference to the massive altar to Zeus.
The city’s association with imperial cult worship, where citizens were required to offer sacrifices to the Roman emperor, posed challenges for early Christians who tried to remain faithful to their beliefs.
Despite the pressures of idolatry and persecution, Pergamon was home to a resilient Christian community. The Book of Revelation commends this community for holding steadfast in their faith, even as one of their members, Antipas, was martyred for refusing to renounce Christianity.
Pergamon’s historical and spiritual legacy is marked by its dual role as a center of pagan worship and as a place of early Christian endurance, offering insight into the complexities faced by Christians in the Roman Empire and their efforts to navigate faith amid cultural and religious adversity.
The Asklepion (Healing Center) at Pergamon
Lori Erickson is one of America’s top travel writers specializing in spiritual journeys. She’s the author of books that include Holy Rover, Near the Exit, The Soul of the Family Tree, and Every Step Is Home. Her website Spiritual Travels features holy sites around the world.
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