İzmir Bergama Red Basilica

Kızılavlu ( Basilica)

In ancient Roman city, to the westward of Bakırçay Plain, the limits of the city quite expanded by spreading towards flat area. Rapid population growth (average 150,000) is the major cause of this expansion.

In the part extending towards Bakırçay Plain, the temple which commissioned by Emperor Hadrian in 2nd century AD, AD by Emperor Hadrian in Plain sections extending to 2nd century temple with its monumental wall height and a very large front yard are remarkable. Causing the bricks used in the construction of the public is also called Red Basilica by the locals.

Temple must have been built as an indicator of interest in Egyptian culture and Egyptian gods, Serapis, Isis and Harpocrates (Horus). The grouping of the worshiped gods of the temple, in terms of architecture tripartite arrangement (the main temples and towers) and were expressed.

The temple was built diagonally located over Selinus Stream to coincide in the front yard of it. Monumental entrance (propylene) and just behind a large bronze coated entrance door existed.  In the behind of the main space of the "cellar", there are two high pedestals and platforms located colossal cult statue. There were symmetrically located towers on either side of the main temple and the courtyards with galleries and two pieces of pools for purification and worshiping cult.

The interior of the main temple was arranged with an array of two rows of columns and three sections (nave) in 5th century AD and also adding an apse to the front side of the structure had been worked up into the one of the first of the seven pre-churches of Anatolia.