TURKEY tr-national

Perge is the next Ephesus, says minister

ANTALYA - Anatolia News Agency | 1/10/2010 12:00:00 AM |

Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay said the ancient city of Perge will soon become as popular as the ancient city of Ephesus.

Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay said on Sunday the ancient city of Perge, located near the district of Antalya, will soon become as popular as the ancient city of Ephesus.

During his visit to Perge, Günay noted the importance of preserving the historic remains. “Perge is an extraordinary ancient city,” said the minister. “The city is very similar to Ephesus, but although Ephesus is world-renowned, Perge is not very well-known, even among Antalya people.”

Günay said Perge is “one of my dreams and will soon become as popular as Ephesus.”  

The minister visited a tower under restoration in Perge, where he was told the cost of restoring a marble column is 2,000 Turkish Liras. He then appealed to tourism investors accompanying him, asking for their contributions. The tourism investors promised to finance the restoration of a total of 53 columns.

“Every tourism investor should finance the restoration of two columns and name one after himself and one after me,” joked the minister. He said the restoration works will start in April.

The ancient city of Perge was the capital of the then Pamphylia region. Today it is a large site of ancient ruins 15 kilometers east of Antalya on the coastal plain. An acropolis is located there dating back to the Bronze Age.

Ancient Perge was situated between the rivers Catarrhactes (Düden) and Cestrus (Aksu). Its ruins include a theater, a palaestra, a place devoted to the training of wrestlers, a temple of Artemis and two churches. The very famous temple of Artemis was located outside the town.