Bergama
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| Bergama | |
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  Bergama
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Turkey |
| Region | Aegean |
| Province | İzmir |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| - Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 35x xx |
| Licence plate | 35 |
| Website: www.bergama.bel.tr | |
Bergama (Greek: Πέργαμος/Pergamos) refers to a city and its surrounding district in İzmir Province, in the Aegean Region of the Republic of Turkey. Known for its cotton, gold, and fine carpets, the city was in ancient times a Greek and Roman cultural center; its wealth of ancient ruins continues to attract considerable tourist interest today.
Located on a promontory north of the Bakırçay river, 26km removed from the Aegean Sea, Bergama has a population of about 55,000. The ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon lie to the north and west of the modern city; Roman Pergamon is believed to have sustained a population of approximately 150,000 at its height in the first century AD.[1].
Among Bergama's notable ruins are the Sanctuary of Asclepius (or Asclepeion), a tribute to the ancient Greek demigod of healing, and the "Red Basilica" complex ("Kızıl Avlu" in Turkish), a second century AD construction of the Emperor Hadrian that straddles the Selinus River. The town also features an archaeological museum.
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[edit] Features
Some other historical buildings in Bergama include:
- Selçuk Minaret built in the 14th century
- Çukurhan caravanserai built in the 14th century
- Taşhan caravanserai built in 1432
- Great Mosque of Bergama built in 1399
- Şadırvanlı Mosque built in 1550
Between June 18-24, Bergama celebrates its annual festival "Bergama Kermesi", which is already running into its seventy-second anniversary. Bergama Kermesi is a major local event, generally celebrated with the attendance of Turkish celebrities, singers, players, poets, and writers.
Bergama is historically famous for the antique city of Pergamon and for its traditional quarter comprised of old Ottoman houses. Recently, the city has made headlines in the context of controversies surrounding the ancient spa settlement of Allianoi, which is threatened by the construction of the Yortanlı Dam, and for environmental concerns regarding the gold mine in Ovacık village.[2]
[edit] Bergama Carpets
Bergama is also renowned for its high quality carpets. There are approximately eighty villages that still weave Bergama carpets. The history of carpet weaving in Bergama dates back to the 11th century - when Turkish migration started to the area. Bergama carpets have almost always been woven with wool - an attestation to the pastoral life style of the Yörük clans populating the area at the time.
Although the history of carpet weaving in Bergama dates back to the 11th century, most surviving carpets do not age more than 200 years - mainly due to their wool content. The oldest surviving Bergama carpets can be found in mosques in and around Bergama, as well as the archaeological museum in Bergama.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Bergama
- Rosa Valderrama, "Pergamum": brief history
- Pergamon art
- Photographic tour of old and new Pergamon, including the museum
- Pergamon pictures
- Municipality of Bergama Photo Gallery: Asklepion, Acropol and Kizil Avlu
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Bergama in İzmir Province (in the Aegean region) of Turkey |
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| Urban districts | İzmir - (Balçova - Bornova - Buca - Çiğli - Gaziemir - Güzelbahçe - Karşıyaka - Konak - Narlıdere) |    |
| Rural districts | Aliağa - Bayındır - Bergama - Beydağ - Çeşme - Dikili - Foça - Karaburun - Kemalpaşa - Kınık - Kiraz - Menderes - Menemen - Ödemiş - Seferihisar - Selçuk - Tire - Torbalı - Urla | |
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Regions
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| Aegean | ||
| Black Sea | ||
| Central Anatolia | ||
| East Anatolia | ||
| Marmara | ||
| Mediterranean | ||
| Southeastern Anatolia | ||
