Hi! Today we will continue our journey through the ruins of the ancient city of Perge, which dates back six thousand years. This attraction is located approximately 16 kilometers from the center of Antalya, and you can reach it by the city tram.
This article will focus on a walk through the complex's territory. If you are interested in the history of this place, I recommend starting with my first material about Perge.
As mentioned at the beginning of the material, the age of this ancient city can be considered quite impressive. However, the ruins of the buildings we see on the territory belong to a later period: many of them appeared during the Roman rule in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
The first structures that caught my eye during the walk are two tall partially ruined towers; this was the main entrance to the city. Nearby, you can see the ruins of the agora, which is a square with rows of columns around the perimeter. City assemblies were once held here.
Looking at Perge from above, you can see the crossroads of two major roads—these streets formed the basis of the ancient city's layout. Initially, we come across the thoroughfare leading from south to north. The length of this street is about 400 meters, and it ends with a monumental fountain that is not operational these days.
Behind the fountain is a high hill, offering a panoramic view of the entire complex. A small gazebo is installed at the top. The path from it leads further to the north, but I didn't have time to explore it. Speaking of time, I allocated about one and a half hours for exploring Perge and the nearby theater, but it wasn't enough, and I only glimpsed many objects.
In addition to the towers and agora mentioned above, the complex housed buildings such as basilicas, baths, a necropolis, and a huge stadium for 12,000 spectators. The latter object impressed me particularly. Today, we can step onto the field of this ancient sports facility and truly appreciate its majestic size.
A distinctive feature of many Turkish ancient cities that have become museums today is that visitors can often freely roam the entire territory of ancient buildings. In addition to visiting the stadium, I, for example, peeked into one of the two towers at the city entrance. The remains of the basilica are also accessible, but on the day of my visit, there was an event on its territory.
Another significant object related to the Perge complex is the enormous amphitheater. Like the stadium, it could accommodate about 12,000 residents. The attraction is separated from the main territory by a road, and tickets need to be purchased separately, so I dedicated a separate article to discussing this architectural monument.
Have a nice trip!
