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Perge
Situated 18 km east of Antalya, Perge is in
the city limits of Aksu Bucagi. Because of its location on the Cilicia -
Pisidia road, it was a vital part of the province of Pamphylia, and was
founded around the same time as the other cities in the area (7th century
BC). It was an important city for Christians of Perge who had worshipped
the mother goddess Artemis. St. Paul and Barnabas visited the city and
wealthy benefactors like Magna Plancia had a number of important memorials
built here.
The first excavations began in 1946 by Istanbul University and they
resulted in many important discoveries were that, the theatre consists of
three main sections: the seating, orchestra and stage. It held 12,000
spectators, with 19 rows of seats on the lower section, 23 on the top
section, and a 52-metre stage.

The stadium measures 34 square metres, with 13 rows of seats on top of the
vaults. The eastern and western sides have 30 vaults each and the northern
side has 10. For every three vaults there is an entrance to the stadium,
and the other two were used as shops.
The Agora was the commercial and political centre of the city, with shops
surrounding the central courtyard, some of which have mosaics on the floor.
The agora measured 76 square metres, with a circular structure in the
centre with a diameter of 13.40 metres.
The colonnaded boulevard lies between the Hellenistic Gate and the
nympheum on the slopes of the acropolis. On both sides of the street, 20
metres in width, are porticoes, some up to five meters high, behind which
are shops. The street is divided into two by a 2-metre wide water canal
running through the middle.
Other structures include the necropolis, city walls, gymnasium, Roman
Baths, memorial fountain and the Greek and Roman gates.
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