The Archaeological site of Perge Turkey

Ancient Perge, one of the capitals of Pamphylia
Perge, the traditional city of the Pamphylia region, is located 18 km east of Antalya and 2 km north of the village of Aksu. The archaeological site of Perge has been systematically excavated by Istanbul University since 1946. Perge is famous for the fact that when Saint Paul began his journey, he visited Perge in AD 46 and delivered his first sermon here. This is why it became an important city for Christians in Byzantine times. The first excavations began at Istanbul University in 1946 and led to many important discoveries. There is a theater there that consists of three main sections: seating, orchestra and stage. It had 12,000 spectators with 19 rows of seats in the lower area, 23 in the upper area and a 52-meter stage. The stadium is 34 square meters and has 13 rows of seats on the vaults. The east and west sides each have 30 vaults and the north side has 10. For every three vaults there is an entrance to the stadium, and the other two were used as shops.

The agora was the commercial and political center of the city, with shops around the courtyard, some of which have mosaics on the floor. The agora was 76 square meters with a circular structure in the center with a diameter of 13.40 meters.

The colonnaded boulevard lies between the Hellenistic Gate and the Nympheum on the slopes of the Acropolis. On both sides of the street, 20 meters wide, there are porticoes, some up to five meters high, behind which there are shops. The road is divided in two by a 2 meter wide water channel that runs through the middle.

Other structures are the necropolis, the city wall, the gymnasium, the Roman baths, the memorial fountain and the Greek and Roman gates.