Ephesus and Pergamon, wonders of antiquity

Few archaeological sites combine the exceptional state of conservation and history of Ephesus (Efes in Turkish), sometimes compared to Pompeii. Founded early in antiquity, the city was long home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis, which has now disappeared.

Other remains are still standing, providing exceptional evidence of Greco-Roman architectural prowess. These include the great theatre with its 25,000 seats (!), the agora dominated by the emblematic library of Celsus and its superbly restored façade, the various temples and the beautiful houses of the patricians, as well as the first Christian buildings, all scattered over a vast area to visit...

You are really immersed in an ancient city, whose soil has been trodden by Heraclitus, Cleopatra, Mark Antony and Saint Paul... To complete the picture, head to the neighbouring town of Selçuk, home to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum: a logical place to spend the night.

Pergamon was a leading city during the Hellenistic period, when the Kingdom of Pergamon was founded after the death of Alexander the Great, and remained so until the long period of Roman domination. Its population at the time is estimated at 200,000!

Now just a 2-hour drive from Ephesus, the two cities were long rivals in Anatolia. Pergamon's commercial power was soon reflected in the construction of major monuments such as the Altar of Zeus (now on display in Berlin), temples including one dedicated to Athena, gymnasiums, palaces and, above all, a prestigious library that rivalled that of Alexandria!

Today, this remarkable complex dominates the agricultural plain of Bergama, now known as Pergamon, from the top of the Acropolis. It's a fine climb, made easier by the installation of a cable car.

On the other side of the city, another not-to-be-missed archaeological site is the ancient Asclepieion, a sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine, where people came to take the waters to heal themselves.

Both sites are of course listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you want to visit them, the logical place to stay is Bergama, a large town with a pleasant old quarter, where the main tourist attraction is ancient Pergamon.