İzmir Bergama Asklepion Archaeological Sitevisitor guide.

History: Founded in the 4th century BC outside the Pergamon acropolis, this healing sanctuary was dedicated to Asclepius, god of medicine. With its advanced architectural design and therapeutic methods, it held the title of Western Anatolia's most renowned treatment center. Surviving ruins of the Asclepieion belong to arrangements commissioned in the 2nd century AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian. While functioning as a sacred precinct earlier, its architectural growth accelerated from the 4th century BC onward. Access to the sacred precinct was provided via the Via Tecta, a 1-km-long covered and colonnaded sacred way. At the road's end stood the monumental entrance propylon, flanked on the right by the library hall and on the left by the temple dedicated to Zeus Asclepius. Beyond the propylon extends a grand festival courtyard enclosed on north, south, and west by colonnaded porticos. Flanking the northwest corner is a 3,500-seat theater, with a westward-extending gallery on the west portico, a spacious banquet hall on the south, and latrines in the southern corner. In the courtyard's southeast corner stands the circular two-story treatment building. In the western precinct of the courtyard lie sacred healing springs, early temple foundations, and incubation sleeping chambers. Therapeutic treatments practiced at the Asclepion health center are recorded by ancient orator Aelius Aristides, who was treated here and described methods in detail in his work "Hieroi Logoi". Patients slept in incubation dormitories for dream therapy, treated through the soothing sound of water, mud packs, curative mineral waters, cupping, fasting cures, psychotherapy, and musical therapy. Pergamon, an eminent medical center of the ancient world, was also the home of physician Galen, known as the father of pharmacy. Galen treated gladiators and Roman emperors here, making monumental discoveries in pharmacology. In the Roman era, through its complex architectural layout, therapeutic methods, and renowned physicians such as Galen of Pergamon, the Asclepieion attained an exceptional status among contemporary medical sanctuaries at Epidaurus and Kos. DOWNLOAD MUSEUM BROCHURE NEARBY MUSEUMS EPHESUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE PERGAMON ACROPOLIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE BERGAMA MUSEUM EPHESUS MUSEUM ST. JOHN SITE EPHESUS TERRACE HOUSES