One of the seven churches addressed in Revelation, the city of Pergamum became the center of a large kingdom in the 3rd century B.C. and retained its status as a political and cultural leader into the Byzantine period. The historical pedigree of Pergamum dates back to the founder Lysimachus, one of Alexander’s generals, who chose Pergamum as the depository for his vast wealth, placing here 9,000 talents of gold under the guardianship of his lieutenant, Philetaerus. Pergamum attained a high culture in the Hellenistic era, boasting an outstanding library that rivaled in importance that of Alexandria, a famous school of sculpture and excellent public buildings and monuments of which the Zeus Altar is the best example.

Perched on a hilltop on the plain of Calcus River , the Acropolis stands as the dominant feature of the Bergamum In the centuries before Christ, the kings of Pergamum built palaces and temples on top of the acropolis as the relics of the ancient library with its pillars defying against the time testifies the grandeur of the ancient city Pergamum. One of the librarys specialties was the use of parchment , which takes its name from the city.

Asclepieum was a sanctuary and a healing center built in the name of the god of healing, Asclepius. It was similar to the one in Epidauros in Greece. Although this place was set up in the 4C BC, it had its peak in the Roman period.

Bergama museum consists of a large rectangular courtyard surrounded with galleries, and a rectangular exhibition hall behind this courtyard. Most of the archeological opuses in the museum, which belong to various periods from early bronze era to the Byzantine Period have been found in the excavations made in Bergama and its surrounding. Among the findings found in the archaic residences around, the samples belonging to Pergamon sculpture school, Archaic Period findings coming from Pitane and Gryneion, Myrina terracotta draw attention. In the ethnography section, carpets, kilims of the region (Yuntdaðý, Yaðcýbedir, Kozak, Bergama weavings), cloth weaving samples, hand works and other hand made opuses belonging to other regions of Anatolia are exhibited.

At the southern foot of the acropolis is a large ancient religious complex called the Red Basilica (Turkish: Kizil Avlu). The complex was built during the reign of the emperor Hadrian (A.D. 117–138). Most scholars believe that the deities Serapis, Isis, and Harpocrates were worshiped here. During the Byzantine period it was turned into the Church of St. John. The building measures 200 x 85 ft. [60 x 26 m.] and in some places stands to a height of 62 ft. [19 m.].