Section І: Defining the setting of monuments and sites: The significance of tangible and intangible cultural and natural qualities Section І: Définir le milieu des monuments et des sites‐ Dimensions matérielles et immatérielles, valeur culturelle et naturelle AN APPROACH FOR DEFINING, ASSESSMENT AND DOCUMENTATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE ON MULTI-LAYERED CITIES,CASE OF BERGAMA (PERGAMON) – TURKEY Demet Ulusoy Binan & Can Binan / Turkey The Historical Development of the City Bergama is the largest borough of İzmir Province due to its surface area and the number of its villages (116 villages). Bergama is a multi-layered Anatolian city that includes Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantian, Karesi Principality, Ottoman and Turkish Republican periods. (Binan, 2004, 30) Bergama, the foundation date of which is not known exactly, is named after Pergamon that is an ancient period settlement. Pergamon is a very old name and belongs to a language peculiar to eastern Mediterranean basin. “Pergamos” or “Pergamon” means “castle” or “fortified place” in that language. (Bayatlı, 1949, 18-19, Radt, 2001, 21-23) Kale (Castle) or Kent (City) Mountain where Pergamon settlement has been established is approximately 330 meters high from the sea level. (Radt, 2001, 16). The findings prove that Bergama had not been founded as just a castle at the highest point, but had been built as a city surrounded by fortification walls and the existence of a settlement that can be dated from 7 th – 6 th and 5 th centuries BC. (Radt, 2001, 51). Although the city was located within a restricted area at the top of the mountain during the 3rd century BC, it has expanded towards the Bakır Stream in the 2nd century BC. Asklepion that has been built as the health centre of that period, was constructed due to the formation of the city (Eriş,2003;148, Radt, 2001;55). The Zeus Altar, the Athena Temple, The Library, the Great Palace and the Theatre on the “Acropolis” are the buildings that reflect magnificence of this period best. (Radt, 2001, 53, 82). The city has had a grid planned structure outside the castle walls during Roman Empire Period. Outside the city, there is sacred “Asklepion” area that is connected to the city with a road 1 km long. A Roman theatre, an amphitheatre and a stadium have been built in the western side of the city and a Roman Temple “Kızıl Avlu” (Red Courtyard) dedicated to Egyptian Gods and covers an area of 100 x 270 m. has been built in the southern side. (Radt, 2001, 57, 198). This building is related to Serapis who is one of the Egyptian gods – the god of underground and also called as Serapion.(Soyaker, 1993;57-61,Bayatlı, 1951;53)The city has lived its brightest period during the first thirty years of the 2 nd century AC. The settlement that was located within the castle city at the hill during the ancient period, has expanded towards the plain during the Romans. This settlement position has continued during the Ottoman and later the Republican periods. The city that has become a part of Ottoman land in 14 th century, has had a settlement expanded on the plain that has not been surrounded with fortification walls. (Emecen, 1992, 493, Radt, 2001, 59). The traditional urban fabric that has survived today has been formed since that date. Compared to Roman and Hellenistic Perion Urban Fabric, the traditional urban fabric is placed above the urban fabric of both periods. (Figure 1) The Reasons of Decay in the Traditional Urban Fabric The disasters known to have damaged Traditional Urban Fabric are the flood in 1842 and the fire in 1853. (Bayatlı, 1997, 78) Nearly 400 shops, 200 houses and 5 bazaars have been burned during this fire. Bayatlı has stated that the traces of this fire could still be seen in “Mermer Direkler”, “Kızılavlu”, “Çukurhan”, “Acemhan” ,”Pamuk Han”, the Bath of the market and the Covered Market. (Bayatlı, 1997, 89) German M.Wiegand who has performed the “Asklepion” excavation has taken permission for digging in the “Kızıl Avlu” and this excavation has started on 17 th April 1932 and continued until the year 1938. During this excavation that has lasted nearly six years, nearly thirty houses, stores and shops that were placed within and attached to the outer walls of the “Kızıl Avlu” that is an intersection point of urban fabric and archeological site in Bergama have been demolished. (Bayatlı, 1951, 47; Soyaker, 1993, 55-62) Monuments and sites in their setting-Conserving cultural heritage in changing townscapes and landscapes