The Asklepion is often visited with the nearby Pergamon Ancient City, and exploring with a guide helps bring the ruins to life. Enter the structure as health seekers once did through the Sacred Way, then explore the still-standing columns and walls that once surrounded rooms for psychotherapy, massage, herbal remedies, baths, mud treatments, and dream interpretation.
Most day tours and shore excursions to the Asklepion set out from Izmir or Kusadasi and often include Pergamon Ancient City. Highlights of the Asklepion include an altar featuring a serpent (the emblem of modern medicine), a small theater, a library, and the domed Temple of Asklepios.
History buffs will already have the Asklepion on their itinerary, but the well-preserved ruins and fascinating subject matter make it a great site to introduce kids and first-time visitors to Roman history.
There’s uneven footing and little shade at the archeological site, so opt for sturdy shoes and pack a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water.
There is an admission fee to visit Bergama Asklepion.
Access to the ancient ruins can be tricky for wheelchairs and strollers—visiting with a guide who can adapt your itinerary accordingly is recommended.
Bergama Asklepion is located in the heart of modern-day Bergama, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) southwest of Pergamon Ancient City. To reach the Asklepion, head west from the Bergama city center on foot or by taxi. It takes about 15 minutes to walk, much uphill, or about five minutes by car.
The Asklepion is open year-round from 8:30am until 5:30pm, with the last entry at 5pm. Day-trippers and cruise visitors can crowd the site during the summer months (especially in July and August), so arrive early to beat the tour buses or come later in the afternoon when it quiets again. If you’re battling the summer heat, avoiding a midday or early afternoon visit is best—the ruins provide almost no shade.
Built around a spring with waters that were believed to be sacred, the Asklepion takes pride in place in the history of Roman medicine and healing practices. The influential physician Galen, who wrote about 500 works on medicine, practiced here in 2 AD, and the Roman period brought its most notable patients, including emperors Marcus Aurelius and Hadrian.