Turkey: Bergama – Red Basilica
The city of Bergama is the gateway to the world famous ruins of the ancient Pergamum located above the city in high hills. But Bergama itself has an attraction that can’t be missed – Red Basilica. This was originally a humongous focus temple built in the 2nd century by Emperor Hadrian and dedicated to the Egyptian gods of Serapis and Isis. The structure is mostly ruined now but the thickness and massiveness of walls and domes hints at the original grandiose scale. In the Byzantine times, the temple was converted into a basilica and dedicated to Apostle John.
