The Capital of Pamphylia
Perge sits just 18 kilometres from the centre of Antalya, spread across the flat plain of the Aksu River valley. It does not have a single iconic structure to rival Aspendos's theatre or Side's Temple of Apollo — but Perge offers something rarer: the most complete picture of how a Roman city actually functioned that you are likely to find anywhere in Anatolia. Its stadium, theatre, 500-metre colonnaded main street, baths, fountains, and agora form a coherent whole that rewards slow, curious exploration.
A City That Welcomed Alexander
Perge's history reaches back to the Early Bronze Age. The city appears in Hittite texts as "Parha" and developed into a Hellenistic city after becoming a Rhodian colony around the 7th century BC. It passed through Persian, Athenian, and again Persian control before Alexander the Great arrived in 334 BC — after taking Phaselis, he marched directly to Perge. Unlike many cities that resisted or negotiated difficult terms, the Pergeans opened their gates and welcomed Alexander voluntarily. This decision spared the city the destruction that others suffered.
Under Roman rule, particularly between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, Perge experienced its greatest flourishing. The city expanded southward, its public spaces were rebuilt on a grander scale, and a series of extraordinarily wealthy benefactors funded its transformation.
Plancia Magna — The Woman Who Built a City
One name stands above all others in Perge's history: Plancia Magna, daughter of the Roman governor Marcus Plancius Varus, who lived in the early 2nd century AD. She was the city's greatest benefactor — personally financing the reconstruction of the Roman Gate, the monumental city entrance, and the Nymphaeum, filling them with sculptures honouring the imperial family and the city's mythological founders. In the ancient world, for a woman to oversee and fund urban transformation on this scale was extraordinarily rare. Statues erected in her honour by the town council still survive today.
The Apostle Paul visited Perge in 46 AD during his first missionary journey, accompanied by Barnabas. Perge thus became one of the earliest stopping points of Christianity in Anatolia. In the Byzantine period the city gained further prominence, with magnificent basilicas built and Perge earning the title of Metropolitan City.
What to See
The Roman Gate and Hellenistic Towers mark the ceremonial entrance to the city. Built in the 2nd century AD to honour Emperor Hadrian's visit, the gate is flanked by two large towers and decorated with reliefs — the first indication of the grandeur that awaits inside.
The Colonnaded Main Street stretches for approximately 500 metres, lined with Corinthian-columned porticos and shops on both sides. Running down the exact centre of the street is a water channel fed by cascading pools — a unique engineering solution remarkable enough in any climate, but genuinely extraordinary in the semi-arid heat of the Anatolian summer. No other Roman city is known to have had this feature on such a scale.
The North Nymphaeum, known as Hadrian's Fountain, dates to around 122 AD and sits at the foot of the acropolis. Water flowing from this monumental fountain fed the street channel below. Its sculptural programme once included a depiction of the river god Cestrus.
The Theatre, built in the 2nd century AD, held around 12,000 spectators and hosted everything from theatrical performances to gladiatorial combat. Most of the sculptures and artefacts recovered from Perge excavations are now displayed in the dedicated Perge Hall at Antalya Museum.
The Stadium is one of Perge's best-preserved structures, also with a capacity of around 12,000. Unusually, the vaulted chambers beneath the seating banks — originally used as shops — are still clearly visible.
The Southern Baths offer one of the clearest views of Roman hypocaust technology anywhere in Turkey. Where the floors have collapsed, the hollow space beneath — used to circulate hot air and heat the entire bath complex — is directly visible. It is one of the most instructive spots on the entire site.
The Agora, the centre of commercial and social life, is surrounded by porticos whose foundations are still legible. The overall layout gives a vivid sense of the daily rhythms of a prosperous Roman city.
Visit With Antalya Museum in Mind
The sculptures excavated at Perge over decades of archaeological work are among the finest in Turkey — but most are not in Perge. They are displayed in the dedicated Perge Hall at Antalya Museum, a short drive away. Combining both visits is strongly recommended: the ruins give context to the sculptures, and the sculptures give life to the ruins.
Practical Information
- Location: Aksu district, 18 km from Antalya city centre, approximately 10 km from Antalya Airport.
- Getting there: Dolmuş or bus toward Aksu from Antalya. By car, turn off the D400 highway at the Aksu junction and continue approximately 3 km.
- Entrance fee: Paid entry; MüzeKart accepted.
- Time needed: The site is large and spread out — allow at least 2.5 to 3 hours to cover it comfortably.
- Best time to visit: April–June and September–October. The site offers very little shade; early morning is essential in midsummer.
- Combine with: Aspendos lies on the same route and can easily be visited on the same day. Antalya Museum is also a natural pairing.
