Bergama

Bergama is a municipality and district of İzmir Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,544 km2, and its population is 105,754 (2022). By excluding İzmir's metropolitan area, it is one of the prominent districts of the province in terms of population and is largely urbanized at the rate of 53.6%. Bergama center is situated at a distance of to the north from the point of departure of the traditional center of İzmir (Konak Square in Konak, İzmir) and lies at a distance of inland from the nearest seacoast at the town of Dikili to its west. Bergama district area neighbors the areas of three districts of Balıkesir Province to its north, namely Ayvalık, Burhaniye and İvrindi, İzmir Province district of Kınık and Manisa Province district of Soma to its east, while to the south it is bordered by Yunusemre district of Manisa Province and two other İzmir Province districts along the coast that are Aliağa and Dikili from its south towards its west. The district area's physical features are determined by the alluvial plain of Bakırçay River.
Name
The name Bergama, as well as its ancient predecessor Pergamon, are thought to be connected with the even more ancient Luwian language adjective "parrai" (Hittite language equivalent; "parku"), meaning "high" in the same vein as being the etymological root of a number of other ancient cities across Anatolia. The ancient and modern Greek language form of the name is . In Turkish language, it has been adapted to Bergama. The name of Pergamos derives from Perga (as keramos from kera=earth, clay), although a Turkish author Özhan Öztürk claims that Bergama means "high settlement/base" in Hittite language, while Argoma (modern Suluova) in Amasya means "border settlement" at the Hittite-Kaskian border.
General features
Currently, known for its cotton, gold, and fine carpets, the city was the ancient Greek and Roman cultural center of Pergamon; its wealth of ancient ruins continues to attract considerable tourist interest today, although its famous Temple has been moved to the Pergamon Museum, in Berlin, Germany.
Located on a promontory north of the Bakırçay river, inland from the Aegean Sea, Bergama has a population of about 102,000. 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 1st century AD.
Among Bergama's notable ruins are the Sanctuary of Asclepius (or Asclepeion), a temple dedicated to an ancient Greek god of healing, a Greek Theater, and the Red Basilica complex ("Kızıl Avlu" in Turkish) that straddles the Selinus River, a 2nd-century AD construction likely built by Hadrian. The town also features an archaeological museum.
History
The city of Pergamon was the capital of the Attalid kingdom from 281 BC to 133 BC and then became part of the Roman province of Asia. It remained under Eastern Roman rule in the Middle Ages except for Sassanid invasion in 620s, Umayyad invasion in 715 and Sultanate of Rum rule between 1074 and 1097. It was conquered by Karasids and then Aydinids in 1302. It was part of Ottoman Empire in 1337. During Ottoman rule, it was part of the Sanjak of Karesi between 1337 and 1868, in Saruhan one (Its centre was Manisa) between 1868 and 1877 and finally in İzmir one. From 1867 until 1922, Bergama was part of Aidin Vilayet. During the Turkish War of Independence, it was occupied by Greece on June 19, 1919, but came under Turkish control on September 14, 1922. The Greek Army burnt down the city while retreating in 1922.
Sights of interest within Bergama city
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
Zeus Altar (Now in Berlin Museum)
Acropolis - accessible by the Bergama Acropolis Gondola from the base station north east of the town
Asklepion
Bergama is also known for its historic quarter, where old Ottoman houses in the traditional style are found.
Allianoi
Allianoi is an ancient spa settlement, with remains dating predominantly from the Roman Empire period (2nd century AD) located near the city of Bergama (ancient Pergamon) in Turkey's İzmir Province. The site is at a distance of to the northeast of Bergama, on the road to the neighboring town of İvrindi.
One particularity of Allianoi is its being a very recent historical discovery. It was mentioned only once in the 2nd century by the orator and medicinal writer Aelius Aristides in his "Hieroi Logoi" (Sacred Tales) (III.1), one of the key sources for the knowledge on the science of healing as it was understood at that time. No other writer of antiquity nor any epigraphic finding known had referred to Allianoi.
Kozak Plateau
Kozak Plateau (Kozak Yaylası) is a high plain at an altitude varying between and starting at a distance of from Bergama center in the northern direction. The plain is a favorite regional excursion area, famed for its hand-made textile products and pine forests whose pine nut is also extensively exported.
Ovacık gold mine
Recently, Bergama also made headlines in the context of controversies based on environmental concerns over the gold mine in Ovacık village.
Wind turbine manufacturing
LM Wind Power, a division of GE Renewable Energy, opened a wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Bergama in 2017. The first blades it produced were used at the Bodangora Wind Farm in New South Wales, Australia.
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.
Bergama Festival
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.
Composition
There are 135 neighbourhoods in Bergama District:
Ahmetbeyler
Akçenger
Alacalar
Alhatlı
Alibeyli
Armağanlar
Aşağıbey
Aşağıcuma
Aşağıılgındere
Aşağıkırıklar
Atatürk
Atçılar
Atmaca
Avunduk
Avunduruk
Ayaskent
Ayvatlar
Aziziye
Bahçelievler
Balaban
Barbaros
Bayramcılar
Bekirler
Bölcek
Bozköy
Bozyerler
Çakırlar
Çalıbahçe
Çaltıkoru
Çamavlu
Çamköy
Çamoba
Çamtepe
Çeltikçi
Cevaplı
Çitköy
Çobanlar
Çürükbağ
Dağıstan
Demircidere
Dereköy
Doğancı
Durmuşlar
Eğiller
Eğrigöl
Ertuğrul
Fatih
Ferizler
Fevzipaşa
Gaylan
Gaziosmanpaşa
Gazipaşa
Göbeller
Göçbeyli
Gökçeyurt
Gültepe
Güneşli
Hacıhamzalar
Hacılar
Halilağalar
Hamzalısüleymaniye
Hisarköy
İkizler
Ilgıncaber
İncecikler
İneşir
İnkılap
İslamsaray
İsmailli
Kadıköy
Kadriye
Kaleardı
Kapıkaya
Kaplanköy
Karahıdırlı
Karalar
Karaveliler
Kaşıkçı
Katrancı
Kıranlı
Kırcalar
Kızıltepe
Kocahaliller
Kocaköy
Koyuneli
Kozluca
Kurfallı
Kurtuluş
Maltepe
Maruflar
Muratlar
Narlıca
Okçular
Öksüzler
Örenli
Örlemiş
Oruçlar
Ovacık
Paşaköy
Pınarköy
Pirveliler
Rahmanlar
Sağancı
Sarıcalar
Sarıcaoğlu
Sarıdere
Seklik
Selçuk
Sindel
Süleymanlı
Talatpaşa
Tavukçukuru
Teğelti
Tekkedere
Tepeköy
Terzihaliller
Tırmanlar
Topallar
Turabey
Üçtepe
Ulucami
Ürkütler
Yalnızdam
Yalnızev
Yenikent
Yeniler
Yerlitahtacı
Yortanlı
Yukarıada
Yukarıbey
Yukarıcuma
Yukarıkırıklar
Zafer
Zağnos
Zeytindağ
International relations
Bergama is twinned with:
Alkmaar, Netherlands
Asenovgrad, Bulgaria
Baalbek, Lebanon
Böblingen, Germany
Lefka, Cyprus
Nea Peramos, Greece
Orhei, Moldova
Pergamos, Cyprus
Piatra Neamț, Romania
Rosoman, North Macedonia
Sanski Most, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Yehud, Israel
See also
Bergama carpet
Allianoi
References
External links
pointsfromturkey.com
Rosa Valderrama, "Pergamum": brief history
Photographic tour of old and new Pergamon, including the museum
Pergamon pictures
Pergamon altar in Berlin
Cities in Turkey
Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey
Roman sites in Turkey
Populated places in İzmir Province
Districts of İzmir Province
Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey