Allianoi

Allianoi is an ancient Roman-era sanctuary and thermal settlement near the modern town of Bergama in Izmir Province, western Turkey. The site is notable for its large public baths built around natural thermal springs.

Excavations in the early 2000s uncovered the bath complex, streets and building foundations, exposing mosaics, stonework and structural layouts typical of a Roman spa town. The exposed remains showed both bathing facilities and associated urban features that indicated sustained settlement around the springs.

The site was the subject of widespread archaeological and conservation attention because planned dam works and the resulting reservoir threatened to inundate the valley and the excavated remains. Archaeologists and heritage groups campaigned to protect or document the site during excavation and mitigation efforts.

Allianoi lies close to Bergama, the site of ancient Pergamon, in western Turkey’s Izmir Province. The ruins are in the valley served by the springs and are accessed from Bergama and nearby roads.

• Conservation controversy: The site became the focus of an international conservation campaign in the early 21st century because its valley was scheduled to be flooded by the Yortanlı Dam reservoir.

What to See #

• Bath complex: A large Roman-era bath complex that formed the centre of public life, featuring baths, pools and associated service rooms uncovered during excavations in the early 2000s.
• Town remains: Settlement remains including streets, building foundations and small-scale public structures excavated around the thermal area, providing evidence of an organized Roman town centred on the springs.