Hilt- the oldest city in the world and one of the most famous centers of worship of Artemis. Ephesus is the most visited. This is one of those places in modern Turkey where you can feel all the beauty and grandeur of the historical heritage of the world.

The Apostle Paul lived and preached here, and perhaps the Apostle John wrote his Gospel here, who is buried in Ephesus in the church of the same name. According to ancient legends, the mother of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, spent the last years of her life in Ephesus.

A city that is definitely worth a visit if you come to Turkey on vacation is the ancient city of Ephesus. Ephesus is Turkey's most visited attraction and the second most important ancient city in the Mediterranean after Pompeii in Italy.

Ephesus city in Turkey famous throughout the world thanks to one of the seven wonders of the world.

Everything preserved in Ephesus dates back to the Greek and Roman periods of the city's history.

Ephesus is the largest ancient city that has survived to this day, and where the atmosphere of life of distant ancestors is fully felt. Located on the western coast of Asia Minor, second in importance after Pompeii.

The appearance of the city has changed little since those times; on the streets there are monuments and buildings whose analogues cannot be found in the world. Having visited the ancient city of Ephesus, you can immediately see a huge number of attractions. Ruins of the temple of the Roman emperor Hadrian, temple of Sirapis, the god of fertility, fountain of Emperor Trojan, ruins of the sanctuary of nymphs, ruins of baths, gymnasiums, legendary Celsus library, where, in a completely unknown way, about twelve thousand parchment scrolls have survived to this day.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 23.10.2015 13:58

Ephesus is an ancient city located on the western coast of Turkey, near the mouth of the Little Menderes River.

Travel independently to the ancient city of Ephesus

On one's own getting to the ancient city of Ephesus is not difficult if you come to the Aegean coast, to resorts such as Marmaris, Kusadasi or Bodrum. It is best to come to Selcuk and stay here for a couple of days to better see the sights of Ephesus, since it is impossible to do this in one day. Some monuments can be reached on foot; dolmushi and taxis run to all others from the bus station.

Unfortunately, going to Ephesus from Antalya or other Mediterranean resorts is quite far and expensive, you will have to leave early in the morning, and you will arrive back after midnight, you should think twice.

Ephesus on the map of Turkey:

Sasha Mitrakhovich 30.10.2015 16:59

According to ancient Greek mythology, one day, the son of the ruler of Athens, Androcles, received a task from the oracle. He was ordered to create a new city. Androcles himself had to find a place to build the city; according to the oracle, a boar, a fire and a fish would help him in this.

Having equipped the ship for long voyages, Androcles sailed along the shores of the Aegean Sea. Suddenly he saw fishermen frying fish on a fire. The flame was large and sparks were flying around. One spark hit the bushes and a wild boar jumped out. Seeing this, Androcles decided to build a city on this site.

During the construction of the city, Androcles met Ephesia, the leader of the Amazons. Having fallen in love with the beauty, he named the city in her honor.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 30.10.2015 18:50

The first settlements on the territory of Ephesus date back to the Neolithic period (early 9500 BC), as evidenced by excavations of the Arvalli and Cucurici mounds.

There are also settlements from the Early Bronze Age (beginning 3500 - 3300 BC), and more recently a cemetery was found that dates back to the Mycenaean era (1500 - 1400 BC).

The location was very convenient, there was always a good climate, convenient for agriculture, and Ephesus was always located at the intersection of sea and land trade routes.

Throughout the history of its existence, Ephesus has been repeatedly subjected to brutal raids, during which there was significant destruction, and was also influenced by various eras and cultures.

It was the Roman period that left a big imprint on Ephesus; quite a lot of architectural monuments have been preserved.

Arab robberies of the 7th - 8th centuries brought the city into severe decline, and by the beginning of the 14th century, only a small village remained from the majestic city and noisy port.

The successful life of the Greek city lasted about 500 years, after which it lost its independence and was always part of large empires, paying exorbitant taxes and incurring other duties. These were the Persian Empire, the Seleucid Empire and the Roman Republic.

Ephesus received its name from the Amazon Ephesus. The city was originally founded as a colony by Ionian Greeks from Athens approximately between the 16th and 11th centuries. BC e. aristocratic form of government in the 7th century. BC e. gave way to tyranny, and later the city was conquered by the ruler of Lydia, King Croesus, at which time Ephesus reached its highest prosperity.

The king invested in the construction of a huge temple of Artemis. In 546 BC. e. King Cyrus of Persia conquered Croesus and Ephesus accordingly became part of the Persian state. Subsequently, the city took part in the Greco-Persian wars. Around 470 BC. Ephesus became a free city and entered the Delian League.

After 386 BC the city was conquered by the Persians. 356 BC became the year of the burning, due to Herostratus’ manic desire to glorify his name, but thanks to Alexander the Great, who liberated Ephesus from Persian rule, the temple soon began to be rebuilt.

The ruler Lysimachus began to move the city to a new place, from a swampy valley to a mountain and built a new harbor, the fault of which was the epidemic that captured the city. Many residents did not want to move, and then the ruler cut off access to fresh water.

In 133 BC. Ephesus became part of the great Roman state, and in 88. BC. the city joined the anti-Roman uprising of the cities of Asia Minor, but after two years Ephesus returned to the rule of Rome, and two years later the inhabitants were imposed a heavy tribute by Emperor Sulla.

After the civil war in Rome and the death of Caesar, Ephesus paid tribute in two directions, but under Augustus, Ephesus became the capital of the Roman Empire in Asia. It was the most beautiful and magnificent city of the Roman Empire, but already in 262 BC. it was destroyed by the Goths.

Ephesus was completely forgotten at the beginning of the Ottoman Empire. The main reason was that the city ceased to exist as a port, people left the city and the bright star of Ephesus faded.

Ephesus was remembered only at the end of the 19th century. English archaeologist Wood, dreaming of finding the Temple of Artemis. Revived the glory of a great ancient landmark for the city. The city was literally “pulled out” from underground; thanks to archaeologists, beautiful Ephesus again appeared on the map.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 30.10.2015 18:52

In Ephesus, the cult of Artemis, the goddess of fertility and hunting, the patroness of life, was very developed, in whose honor a huge temple was built, which was considered one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Thousands of people having problems with childbirth came to the temple to pray to the goddess. In the center of the temple stood a large statue of Artemis in the form of a “many-breasted” woman.

The temple measured 100 meters long and 50 meters wide, and its columns were 18 meters high.

The amphitheater was built during the reign of the Roman Empire. It was the largest amphitheater in the Roman province of Asia, of which Ephesus was the capital. It can accommodate 25,000 people, which is twice as much as the amphitheater in Hieropolis (Pamukkale) and three times more than the amphitheater in the city of Myra.

The construction of the theater took place in three stages, which is clearly visible in the photo. New floors were added as the city grew. There is also a small theater here, which is smaller in size and played a secondary role.

Temple of Hadrian

The Temple of Hadrian - was built in 135 AD and consists of two central columns that support an arch - this is all that was once preserved from the tympanum.

It was decorated with statues of the emperors Dicoletian, Maximian, Constantius Chlorus and Galere.

Also preserved in the center is a podium on which stood a statue dedicated to Emperor Hadrian.

Basilica of St. John

A little further is the Basilica of St. John, built in the 6th century. under Emperor Justinian I, where the tomb of the apostle was supposedly located. It is a cleared square area, along the edges of which there are four columns. In the middle of the square there is a small tombstone in the shape of a cross.

Marble Street

Marble Street leads to the Library of Celsus. The 400-meter-long marble street was built in the 5th century on the site of an older one. Along the street there were trading shops and statues on pedestals; under the street there is a developed sewage system.

Hillside houses

On the opposite side of the Temple of Hadrian there is an architectural complex called “Houses on the Hillside”, the front side faces Kuretov Street. These houses were mainly inhabited by the rich class of society, which is why there is another name, “Houses of the Rich”. All houses are located so that each house also serves as a terrace for the next house.

One of the most popular houses is the House of Perestil II, built back in the 1st century AD, richly decorated with decorations. Almost all rooms in the houses have mosaic floors and numerous frescoes for decoration.

Brothel

On the right side is located house of love which consists of many rooms. Supposedly it was a brothel, and mosaic paintings depict girls who once worked here. On one of the floors you can see an antique toilet.

An underground tunnel led from the library to the Brothel, supposedly so that husbands would deceive their wives, saying that they were going to the library, while they themselves secretly went to the Brothel. But many scientists do not agree with this; they argue that the Public Library was the residential building of a very rich family.

Kuretov Street

Street of Curetes - stretches along the Library of Celsius and the Gate of Hercules to the Agora.

The street acquired the appearance that has survived to this day during the 4th - 5th centuries, during reconstruction after a strong earthquake. It consists of paving made of marble and other natural stones, which combine perfectly with antique buildings.

On Mount Bulbul (at the entrance to the historical zone of Ephesus there are always taxi drivers offering to take you to the place) there is a house of the Virgin Mary. According to legend, before his death on the cross, Jesus bequeathed the care of his mother to St. John. St. John transported the Mother of God to his hometown of Ephesus and hid her at the foot of the mountain in a hut surrounded by dense forests, where she spent the last years of her life.

Another attraction associated with Ephesus is the Cave of the Seven Sleepers. According to legend, seven Christian youths escaped persecution during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305) by hiding in a cave, where the Lord sent them to sleep. They woke up only two centuries later, when Christianity became the official religion. In the place where this miracle happened, after the death of the young people, a huge monument was erected, and the cave began to be called “the cave of the seven sleepers.”

Sasha Mitrakhovich 30.10.2015 19:37

The ancient city of Ephesus (Turkey) is located in the western part of the Asia Minor peninsula, also known by its Greek name Antalya. By modern standards it is small - its population barely reaches 225 thousand people. However, thanks to its history and the monuments preserved in it from past centuries, it is one of the most visited cities in the world by tourists.

City of the Fertility Goddess

In ancient times, it was founded by the Greeks in the 11th century BC. e., the city was famous for the cult of the local who flourished here, who eventually incarnated herself as the goddess of fertility Artemis. This generous and hospitable celestial woman in the 6th century BC. e. residents of the city built a temple, recognized as one of

The city of Ephesus reached unprecedented prosperity in the 6th century BC. e., when it came under the rule of the Lydian king Croesus, who captured it, whose name in modern language has become synonymous with wealth. This ruler, immersed in luxury, spared no expense and decorated his temples with new sculptures, and acted as a patron of science and art. Under him, the city was glorified by many outstanding personalities, such as the ancient philosopher Heraclitus and the ancient poet Kallin.

City life in the first centuries AD

However, the peak of the city’s development occurred in the 1st-2nd centuries AD. e. During this period, it was part of the Roman Empire, and a lot of money was spent on its improvement, thanks to which aqueducts, the library of Celsus, thermal baths - ancient baths were built, and also rebuilt. One of the many city attractions was its main street, which went down to the port and was decorated columns and porticoes. It was named after the Roman Emperor Arcadius.

The city of Ephesus is mentioned several times in the New Testament, in particular in the books "The Acts of the Apostles" and "The Revelations of John the Evangelist", also known as the "Apocalypse". The first followers of Christ began to appear in it during the period of the Savior’s earthly ministry, and in 52-54 the Apostle Paul lived and preached the word of God in the city. Researchers also have reason to believe that the man who died and was buried in Ephesus wrote his Gospel here. Sacred Tradition connects this city with the last years of the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the Mother of Jesus Christ.

The sea that left the city

At the founding of Ephesus, the city of Artemis, it was founded on the shores of the Aegean Sea and was the largest port center of antiquity. But then the unexpected happened - either the goddess quarreled with the supreme ruler Zeus, and he poured out his anger on the city, or the reasons were of a natural order, but only in the 6th century AD. e. the harbor suddenly became shallow and overgrown with silt.

Residents had to move their homes to a new location, located near the current Turkish city of Selcuk, starting construction on Ayasoluk Hill. But the sea still continued to recede, depriving this ancient city of most of its income. Ephesus gradually fell into decay. Landslides and earthquakes completed the job, covering its ruins with sand and reliably preserving it for future archaeologists.

Forgotten ancient monument

The job was completed by the Arabs, who in the 7th century increased their raids and finally destroyed what the hand of the blind elements had not yet reached. Seven centuries later, the Ottoman Empire captured a large part of Asia Minor, including the territory where the city of Ayasoluk, neighboring Ephesus, was located.

From that time on, it began to develop, but within the framework of the Islamic tradition. Mosques, caravanserais and Turkish baths appeared on its streets. Another hundred years later the city was renamed, and it received its current name Selchuk, and the city of Ephesus was completely abandoned and fell asleep for several centuries under a layer of sand blown here by the hot wind.

Excavations of an enthusiastic archaeologist

The history of archaeological excavations on the territory of the ancient city dates back to 1863. Their initiator was the British engineer and architect John Turtle Wood, who designed railway station buildings in Turkey. Having set out to find the Ephesus mentioned in the New Testament, he received permission from the local authorities to carry out the work.

The task was not an easy one, because the only information he had was information about where the city of Ephesus was located, but he did not have any specific information about its layout and buildings.

A city that has risen from oblivion

Three years later, the first reports of John Wood's discoveries spread around the world, and from that time on, the city of Ephesus, where outstanding monuments of Hellenic culture were created in previous centuries, attracted everyone's attention.

To this day, the city has preserved many unique monuments dating back to the Roman period of its history. Even though much remains to be unearthed, what appears today is striking in its magnificence and provides an opportunity to imagine the grandeur and splendor of this city in its heyday.

The theater and the Marble Street leading to it

One of the main attractions of Ephesus is the ruins of its theater, built in the Hellenic period, but which underwent significant reconstruction during the reign of the Roman emperors Domitian and his successor Trajan. This truly grandiose structure could accommodate twenty-five thousand spectators, and in a later period it was part of the city wall.

Anyone who entered the City of Ephesus by sea could proceed from the port to the theater along a four-hundred-meter street lined with marble slabs. The trading shops that stood on its sides alternated with statues of ancient gods and ancient heroes, striking the eyes of visitors with their perfection. By the way, the residents of the city were not only aesthetes, but also quite practical people - during excavations under the street they discovered a fairly developed sewage system.

Library - a gift from the Roman Emperor

Among other cultural centers of the ancient world, the city of Ephesus was also known for its library, which received the name of Celsus Polemean, the father of the Roman emperor Titus Julius, who built it in memory of him and installed his sarcophagus in one of the halls. It should be noted that the burial of the dead in public buildings was an extremely rare occurrence in the Roman Empire, and was allowed only in cases of special merit of the deceased.

The fragments of the building that have survived to this day are part of the facade, richly decorated with allegorical figures placed in niches. At one time, the collection of the Celsus library included twelve thousand scrolls, stored not only in cabinets and shelves, but also right on the floor of its vast halls.

Temple guarded by Medusa the Gorgon

In addition to the Temple of Artemis, which was the hallmark of the city in ancient times, many more religious buildings were built in Ephesus. One of them is the Sanctuary of Hadrian, the ruins of which can be seen when turning off Marble Street. Its construction dates back to 138 AD. e. Only a few surviving fragments remain of the former splendor of this pagan temple.

Among them are four Corinthian columns supporting a triangular pediment with a semicircular arch in the middle. Inside the temple you can see a bas-relief of the Gorgon Medusa guarding the temple, and on the opposite wall there are images of various ancient gods, one way or another connected with the founding of the city. Previously, there were also statues of very real rulers of the world - the Roman emperors Maximian, Diocletian and Gallery, but today they have become exhibits of the city museum.

The area of ​​the richest residents of the city of Ephesus

The history of the city during the period of Roman rule was immortalized in a sculptural complex built near the entrance to the Temple of Hadrian, surrounding the Fountain of Trojan. In the center of the composition stood a marble statue of this emperor, from which a stream of water rose to the sky. Around her, in respectful poses, were statues of the immortal inhabitants of Olympus. Today these sculptures also decorate museum halls.

Opposite the Temple of Hadrian there were houses in which a select part of Ephesian society lived. In modern terms, it was an elite quarter. Situated on a hillside, the buildings were designed in such a way that the roof of each served as an open terrace for the neighboring one located a level below. The perfectly preserved mosaic that lined the sidewalk in front of the houses gives an idea of ​​the luxury in which their inhabitants lived.

The buildings themselves were richly decorated with frescoes and various sculptural images, some of which have survived to this day. Their subjects included, in addition to the traditional ancient deities in such cases, also images of outstanding people of the past. For example, one of them depicts the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates.

Christian shrines of the city

In this city, monuments of ancient paganism and the Christian culture that replaced it miraculously coexist side by side, one of which is Ioanna. In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian I ordered its construction on the spot where the holy apostle, the author of the Apocalypse, as well as one of the Gospels, was supposedly buried.

But the main Christian shrine of Ephesus, undoubtedly, is the house in which, according to legend, the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, spent her last years. As the legend says, already on the Cross the Savior entrusted the care of Her to his beloved disciple, the Apostle John, and he, sacredly keeping the Teacher’s order, transported her to his home in Ephesus.

There is also a very beautiful legend associated with one of the caves located on the slope of a nearby mountain. According to popular belief, during the days of persecution of Christianity, seven young men who professed the true faith were saved in it. To protect them from imminent death, the Lord sent them into a deep sleep, in which they spent two centuries. Young Christians awakened and were already in complete safety - their faith had by that time become the state religion.

If you have long dreamed of visiting the ruins of an ancient metropolis and feeling the ancient atmosphere, then it’s time to go to the historical complex of Ephesus, Turkey. The unique city-museum, listed as a UNESCO heritage site, annually attracts travelers from all over the world. The Temple of Artemis, the Library of Celsus, the House of the Virgin Mary are just a small part of what awaits you in this cradle of antiquity. What Ephesus is and what attractions are located on its territory, we consider in our article.

General information

The ancient city of Ephesus is located in western Turkey, 7 km from the coast of the Aegean Sea and 80 km south of Izmir. It is a historical complex of ancient buildings spread over an area of ​​4.15 square meters. km. For the most part, Ephesus gained fame thanks to the cult of the fertility goddess Artemis, in whose honor a temple was built in the city, later ranked as one of the seven wonders of the world.

Today, the closest settlements to Ephesus are the town of Selcuk, located 3 km to the east, and the resort of Kusadasi, located 17 km to the southwest. The historical complex is considered one of the most valuable attractions in Turkey, visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. And to make your acquaintance with Ephesus more exciting and educational, let’s take a moment to plunge into its rich history.

Historical reference

Artemis of Ephesus

The ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey is located on territory where the first settlements appeared in the Neolithic era, i.e. around the ninth millennium BC. The metropolis itself was founded in the 10th century BC. According to legend, its creator was the son of the Athenian ruler Androcles, who fell in love during urban planning with an Amazon from the local tribes named Ephesia. In her honor, as the legend says, the city was named. It is noteworthy that initially Ephesus was located on the shores of the Aegean Sea, but over the centuries the coast dried up, and the ancient metropolis itself went deep into the mainland.

Alexander the Great

Thanks to its geographical location, Ephesus quickly became an important port and trade center, becoming a real tasty morsel for conquerors from different parts of the world. In the 6th century BC. the Lydians ruled here, later overthrown by the Persians, who in turn were ousted by the troops of Alexander the Great. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, the city passed to the Romans and was under their protection until the middle of the 3rd century, when the Goths invaded and plundered Ephesus, leading it to absolute decline.

It was possible to restore the glorious city during the period of Byzantine rule. At the turn of the 5th-6th centuries. Ephesus became the second most important metropolis of the empire after Constantinople. The Byzantines rebuilt the city and actively used it for trade purposes. But in the 7th century, the coast of Ephesus began to dry out and gradually filled with silt, which led to the loss of access to the Aegean Sea. As a result, trade completely disappeared, and the city itself lost all significance for the Byzantine Empire.

Isa Bey Mosque

During the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Ephesus briefly regained its status as a thriving metropolis. The Seljuks who came here built new baths, mosques and caravanserais on the territory. However, in the 15th century, the nearby city of Ayasoluk (modern Selçuk) assumed greater importance for the Ottomans, and Ephesus was finally abandoned.

What can be seen on the territory of Ephesus today

Even with a fleeting glance at photos of the sights of Ephesus in Turkey, you can understand the scale of this historical complex. In addition to the well-known Temple of Artemis, there are unique monuments of antiquity here, many of which have been preserved in excellent condition. What can you see on the territory of modern Ephesus?

Temple of Artemis

Of course, we will begin our description with one of the seven wonders of the world in Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, from which today, unfortunately, practically nothing remains. The structure was erected in the 6th century BC. in honor of the goddess of fertility and patroness of all life on earth - Artemis. It took about 120 years to build the temple. In those distant times, it was a majestic structure with 127 columns, each 18 m in height. The length of the temple reached 110 m, and the width - 55 m.

However, this wonder of the world was not destined to live long. Already in the 4th century BC. A madman named Herostratus set fire to the Temple of Artemis. As a result, the main part of the structure burned down, of which only the columns remained. Later, Herostratus explained his action by the desire to write himself into the annals of history, after which he was executed, and his name was forbidden to be mentioned in chronicles. During his reign, Alexander the Great tried to restore the temple, but it was soon destroyed by the Goths, and subsequently the sanctuary of Artemis finally fell into disrepair.

Modern photographs of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus confirm the fact that it was built on a swamp. That is why the building literally disappeared from the face of the earth, drowning in the abyss over the centuries. Today, all that remains of the building is one dilapidated column, bored in the middle of the swamp, and a couple of stone blocks in the area. A miniature copy of the Temple of Artemis can be seen in the Istanbul miniature park, but it is unlikely to be able to at least partially convey the grandeur of the structure that has sunk into oblivion.

House of the Virgin Mary

In addition to the Temple of Artemis, Ephesus is home to another historically important landmark - the House of the Virgin Mary. According to the Catholic version, after the ascension of Christ, the Mother of God remained to live in Jerusalem, where she preached Christianity. But there is another version, which says that the Virgin Mary spent her last years of life (about 9 years) in Ephesus. Such information arose as a result of testimonies from a number of local residents, as well as on the basis of a vision that appeared to the German nun A. K. Emmerich at the end of the 19th century.

Today, the house of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus is a miniature building, inside of which a small basement has been preserved. In the middle of the last century, the building was renovated, and within its walls there was a chapel where believers from all over the world come to pray. Despite the fact that the Catholic Church officially rejects the version that the Mother of God lived in Ephesus, three Popes have already visited here over the past half century.

After visiting the house of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, be sure to check out the Bolshoi Theater and the Odeon, which have reached us in excellent condition. The grandiose three-tier structure in the form of an ancient Roman amphitheater once accommodated up to 25 thousand spectators, and its upper rows were at a height of 30 m. Today, the height of the building reaches only 18 m, and in total there are 66 rows. In ancient times, the stage of the theater was decorated with carved columns and skillful sculptures, which, unfortunately, have not survived to this day.

Odeon

In Ephesus there is another theater of a much smaller scale, but no less interesting - the Odeon. It is designed for 1,500 seats and is a two-tier semicircular structure, divided into four sections, cut off from each other by staircases. Typically, in ancient times, buildings of this type were used for singing events, but this theater primarily served for meetings of the Senate, during the breaks between which theatrical performances were held here.

Among the attractions of Ephesus, the ruins of an outstanding architectural monument from the era of the Roman Empire deserve special attention. This is the Library of Celsus, built in the early 2nd century during the heyday of Rome. The author of the structure was the architect Tiberius Julius Aquila, who named it in honor of the highly educated statesman Celsus, who was his father. The library was not only a repository for more than 12 thousand scrolls, but also the tomb of Celsus himself. During excavations carried out in Ephesus at the beginning of the 20th century, archaeologists managed to find a marble tomb containing the remains of a once famous Roman.

But, like the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Library of Celsus did not survive to this day due to the invasion of the merciless Goths, who burned the building almost to the ground. Only the façade remained of the building, but it was also destroyed as a result of an earthquake during the Byzantine Empire. The remains of the library that we see today are only a reconstruction of the building, which was reconstructed from the surviving ruins. Currently, here you can see a two-story facade with columns, the space between which is decorated with four sculptures of women symbolizing Virtue, Wisdom, Knowledge and Thought. But these statues are only copies, and the originals are now kept in the Vienna Museum.

Other attractions

Among other attractions of Ephesus in Turkey it is worth highlighting:

Temple of Hadrian

• Basilica of St. John the Evangelist, built in Byzantine times
• The ruins of the ancient Agora - a market square once decorated with colonnades
• Temple of Domitian, in ancient times decorated with 21 columns and sculptures, of which only ruins remain today
• Terraced houses are the former homes of wealthy townspeople: their peculiarity was that each house served as a terrace for the next; many buildings still have frescoes and mosaic floors
• Temple of Hadrian, built in honor of the Roman emperor and at one time decorated with colonnades, arches and sculptures of other rulers
• Kuretov Street, once paved with marble and decorated with statues and columns

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Opening hours and ticket prices

The historical site of Ephesus in Turkey is open daily. From April 15 to October 2, the attraction is open from 8:00 to 18:30, from October 3 to April 14 - from 8:00 to 17:00. The entrance ticket price in 2018 is $10 (40 TL). If you are a museum card holder, admission is free.

A visit to the terraced houses, St. John's Basilica and the Archaeological Museum is paid separately: the ticket price, depending on the attraction, ranges from 2 to 3 $ (5-10 TL). You can also purchase an audio guide in Russian for $5 (20 TL). Entrance tickets are sold at ticket offices and self-service terminals.

Gate of Hercules

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How to get to Ephesus

The most convenient way to get to the city of Ephesus in Turkey is from nearby settlements - the towns of Selcuk and Kusadasi. Ephesus is located 3 km west of Selcuk, and can be reached by dolmus from the city bus station. Travel time takes no more than 10 minutes. The cost of the trip is $0.6 (2.5 TL).

If you are staying in Turkey at the resort of Kusadasi, located 17 km southeast of Ephesus, then the road to the complex will take you about half an hour. You can get to the ancient city by dolmus, following the Kusadasi-Selcuk route, which departs from the city bus station several times an hour. The fare is 1.2 $ (5 TL). In this case, you need to warn the driver that you are going to Ephesus, and get off the dolmus at the turn with the sign “Efes”. Next, you just have to cover 1 km along a straight road to the complex.

Of course, you can get to the ancient city by taxi, rented car, or book a tour with a guide. But all these options are much more expensive. Although only you can decide which ways to get to the city of Ephesus, Turkey will be most suitable for you.

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The city of Ephesus is one of the few ancient cities that were restored during archaeological excavations. And although today it no longer looks as majestic as it was thousands of years ago, its architecture deserves attention, and crowds of tourists are eager to look behind a piece of one of the wonders of the world - the Temple of Artemis.

Historical milestones of the city of Ephesus

During archaeological excavations on the territory of Ephesus, traces of settlements dating back to 9500 BC were discovered. e. Tools from the Bronze Age were also found, and more recently, scientists reported the discovery of an entire cemetery with burials from 1500-1400 BC. e. The city of Ephesus gradually grew and developed, so it is not surprising that it played an important role in history. Previously, it stood on the seashore and was a key port in which trade was carried out.

The Roman Empire had a strong influence on the city, which is especially noticeable in the surviving architectural monuments. In the 7th and 8th centuries, the city of Ephesus was subject to constant attacks from Arab tribes, as a result of which most of it was plundered and destroyed. In addition, sea waters moved further and further from the coast, which is why the city ceased to be a port. By the 14th century, the once key center of ancient Ephesus turned into a village, and in the next century it became completely deserted.

Sights that have survived to the present day

The most famous place to visit is the Temple of Artemis, although nothing remains of it. Previously, it was a real wonder of the world, about which legends were made. There are mentions of it in the biblical scriptures.

As a result of archaeological excavations, only the column from the famous landmark was recovered, but even it is worth a look to appreciate the scale of ancient buildings and pay tribute to the goddess of fertility.

Among other historical monuments, the most frequently visited are:

• Theater;
• Agora;
• Brothel;
• Hillside Houses or Rich Man's Houses;
• house of Peristyle II;
• Basilica of St. John;
• Kuretov street.

Most of the mentioned places are partially destroyed, but thanks to ongoing restoration work they can be maintained in a form that can be admired by any tourist. The spirit of antiquity is felt in every stucco and carving.

You can visit the museum with exhibits obtained during the excavations. The excursions will not only take you through the most beautiful streets of a previously forgotten city, but will also tell you interesting facts related to Ephesus. Real estate in Turkey can be rented or even purchased at fairly reasonable prices.

Useful for tourists

For those who want to know where the ancient city of Ephesus is located, it is worth staying in Selcuk for a few days. This small settlement in the territory of modern Turkey is located closest to the ancient city, which cannot be visited in one day. If

You can get there and move around it on foot or by taxi. The beauty of Ephesus is so diverse that any photo taken will become a real masterpiece, because the history of the city is deeply rooted in the past, each era of which has left its mark.