Pergamum

The ancient city of Pergamum, an hour from İzmir, was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014. It’s a settlement that was rebuilt constantly and persisted in the stage of history due to its strategic location, though it was exposed to many occupations and destructions in the past. Having been conquered by Alexander the Great after Persian rule, Pergamum's golden era was during the 2nd century BCE when it became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamum. Pergamum was a centre of health, culture and arts for many years, with the Anatolia's largest library and spectacular sculptures hewn by accomplished artists. A trip to Pergamum, described as "the most famous and magnificent city of Asia Minor" by Plinius Secundus, the 1st century BCE author and philosopher, will allow you to discover the traces of this famous city of antiquity. Asklepieion, at the base of Pergamene Acropolis,  was a healing complex built in the 4th century BCE in honor of Asclepius, the God of Healing. With its advanced architectural layout and the treatment methods employed, it earned the title of the most important healing center in western Anatolia.