The Classical Heritage of Anatolia (Day I)

In the morning, before leaving Bursa we visited the tombs of Ozman Gazi and Orhan Gazi tombs, the founders of the Ottoman Empire and Koza Han, home of the silk trade.

Then it was on to Pergamum. There we had our first of many encounters of the breathtaking ancient ruins that run up and down the Aegean part of Anatolia. Pergamum was one of the greatest cities of Western Asia. It achieved its greatest power under Roman control and the rule of Eumenes II in 2nd century BCE. The wonders at Pergamum are many. We walked up the acropolis, the high point in ancient Pergamum to the Temple of Trajan, built during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian and used as a place of worship for those emperors as well the worshipping of Zeus. This Roman temple is built atop Roman foundations that were later used as cisterns during the middle ages. We also visited the 10,000 seat theater at Pergamum. This open air Hellenistic theater is the steepest theater in the world, built right into the hillside and allowing for a spectacular view of the surrounding area. Above the stage was the ruined temple of Dionysus and to the south of the theatre and shaded by a evergreen trees is base of the Altar of Zeus. The altar itself, depicting freezes of a battle scenes between Olympian gods and their human foes can be found in Berlin at the Ephesus Archeological Museum.

We pulled into our Kusadasi Hotel late and before going to bed took in the breathtaking view of the Aegean at night from our balcony