BERGAMA

Thousands of tourists visit Pergamon every year, but many see only a small part of its rich heritage. Visitors typically reach the Acropolis by road or cable car, then visit areas such as the Trajaneum, the Temple of Athena, the palaces, the theater, and the Altar Terrace, before returning to the starting point of the short route atop the city hill. However, much of Pergamon—its impressive gymnasium, other sanctuaries, residential area, and peristyle houses adorned with mosaics and wall decorations—remains hidden from visitors at the foot of the Acropolis.

The Pergamon Excavation, conducted by the German Archaeological Institute, has created a tourist map that not only guides visitors through the ancient ruins but also suggests routes encompassing the entire modern city of Pergamon. This map aims to encourage people to experience individual routes and to explore Pergamon’s rich cultural heritage, stretching from antiquity to more recent periods such as the Byzantine and Ottoman eras.

The map is placed at various points in the city, primarily focusing on popular tourist attractions, and provides brief information about places to see and suggested routes. Furthermore, thanks to the convenience of QR codes, users can easily download the map to their phones or access it via Google Maps to view and follow suggested visitor routes. The fact that thousands of people viewed the map via QR code in a short time shows that the Pergamon Tourist Map is already meeting the needs of many visitors. We hope this initiative will encourage more people to extend their visits to Pergamon/Bergama, explore the city’s rich cultural heritage, and connect with its people.

Berslan Korkut & Ulrich Mania