When we ask “where is pergola located?”, the answer is more fascinating than a single pin on a map 🗺️. This beloved structure exists in two wonderful forms: as a physical garden feature found worldwide, and as a namesake for charming places rich with history.

where is pergola located

The Town of Pergola, Italy 🏰

Nestled in the heart of Italy’s Marche region, amidst oak woods and neat vineyards, lies the picturesque town of Pergola. It’s officially recognized as one of I Borghi più belli d’Italia(The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy) .

The origin of the town’s name is intriguing. One theory suggests it derives from a pergolato(a canopy or arbor) that adorned the entrance of the ancient church of Santa Maria della Pergola. Another posits it comes from the geographical term “gola” (gorge), as the area was historically accessible through a gorge .

Pergola is a town of remarkable claims:

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A Patriotic First: It was the first city in Italy to raise the tricolor flag on the Municipal Palace on February 14, 1831.
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Home to Rare Treasure: It safeguards the Gilded Bronzes of Cartoceto di Pergola, the world’s only complete example of a gilded bronze statue group from the Roman era discovered so far .
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City of a Hundred Churches: Its long history under the Papal States blessed it with numerous places of worship, earning it the nickname “Città delle Cento Chiese” .

Visiting here means exploring a harmonious historic center with stone alleys and Gothic churches, discovering unique local flavors like visciolato(a sweet wine) and prized black and white truffles, which are celebrated with a national fair in October .

The Ancient City of Pergamon (Pergamum), Turkey 🏛️

Beyond Italy, the name echoes in antiquity. Pergamon (also known as Pergamum) was a wealthy and powerful ancient Greek city located in modern-day Turkey, near the town of Bergama .

This was no ordinary settlement. It served as the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period under the Attalid dynasty (281-133 BC) and was a major cultural center .

Its magnificent ruins, perched on a 335-meter-high mesa, include:

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The renowned Pergamon Altar (now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin).
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A spectacular steep theatre built into the hillside in the 3rd century BC, capable of holding 10,000 spectators.
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The impressive Red Basilica (Serapis Temple), a massive Roman-era construction later converted into a Christian church .

Pergola, the Garden Structure 🌿

Now, let’s talk about the pergola we often dream of for our own homes! As a garden feature, its location is truly wherever you desire a blend of shade, style, and outdoor living.

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Private Gardens: This is its most common home. From covering patios and defining walkways to creating shaded seating areas over decks, it extends living space outdoors.
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Commercial Hospitality: Many restaurants, cafes, and hotels use pergolas to create enchanting outdoor dining and lounge areas. A prime example is the renowned La Pergola restaurant, the only three-Michelin-starred eatery in Rome, located in a roof garden atop the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel .
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Public Parks: Many parks feature pergolas as decorative shade structures. For instance, the Plaza de la Pérgola is a park in Alicante, Spain, offering a recreational space for locals and visitors .
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Architectural Statements: Modern interpretations seamlessly blend indoors with outdoors. The Pergola House in Costa Rica, designed by Studio Saxe, is a stunning example nestled within the leafy terrain of Playa Grande, breaking the boundaries between inside and outside .

The beauty of the pergola lies in its adaptability. You can find prefabricated kits from retailers or get custom designs from specialty firms like Ehia-Pergola Pays Basque in France, which offers bioclimatic pergolas and outdoor furniture .

Why So Many “Pergolas”? The Connecting Thread

where is pergola located

It might seem curious that a town, an ancient city, and a garden share similar names. The link likely lies in the concept of a covering or a sheltered structure. The Italian word “pergola” and the Latin “pergula” (meaning projecting roof, arbor) suggest a connection to providing shade and protection—a function shared by the garden structure and, perhaps symbolically, by the towns that offer refuge and community.

where is pergola located

The global presence of pergolas, from historic sites to modern homes, shows our universal desire to create comfortable, beautiful outdoor spaces that connect us with nature ☀️🌿.

The pergola’s true location isn’t just a point on a map; it’s in our desire to create beautiful, functional transitions between our built homes and the natural world, a tradition stretching back millennia.

where is pergola located