Perge Antik Kenti – Places to Visit

Perge Ancient City is located in Aksu district of Antalya. The city, known as “Parha” and believed to have existed during the Hittite period, was one of the most orderly cities in Anatolia during the Roman period. The sculptures unearthed during the excavations in the ancient city, which is famous for its architecture and marble sculpture, have made the Antalya Museum one of the most important sculpture museums.

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The basis of Perge’s city plan consists of two main streets, one extending in the east-west direction and the other in the north-south direction. The theater, which has a capacity of fifteen thousand spectators, is very well preserved. The carefully decorated two-storey stage building located opposite the seating areas was built in the 2nd century AD. The works found here are today permanently exhibited in the ‘Perge Theater Hall’ in the Antalya Museum. The perfection of these sculptures beautifully reflects the uniquely styled school of Perge sculpture. The stadium, another basic structure of the Ancient City of Perge, is one of the best preserved stadiums in Turkey. The stadium, built in the 2nd century BC to the north of the theater, has a capacity of approximately twelve thousand spectators.

Other social and cultural structures that reflect the grandeur of the city in ancient times include the rectangular planned agora, high towers, monumental fountains, baths and columned streets. Perge is also important for Christianity. St. Paul, one of the most important figures of Christianity, arrived in Perge via the Aksu River during his missionary travels. Since it is written in the Bible, the city and the river are considered sacred places of Christianity.

The Ancient City of Perge, a settlement of planning importance in the context of the Late Classical, Hellenistic and predominantly Roman Imperial periods, is proposed as a world heritage and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2009.