Ephesus and Nearby Sites

Our first stop for the day included a visit to the final dwelling place of the Virgin Mary (believed to be). It was found based on written records of the visions of a German nun, Anne Catherine Emmerich.

But a real highlight of our trip, and a big part of why we wanted to visit Turkey, was Ephesus. It was the 4th largest city of the Roman Empire at its peak, with 250,000 people living in the city. Traders visiting from all over the world swelled those numbers.

The city ruins were found by accident in the mid-1800s by a British railway engineer sent to
design a new rail line. To date, only 18% of the massive site has been excavated.

Many features of Ephesus have been carefully reconstructed, and you can almost get a sense of being a visitor to this great city during ancient times. We walked the great road leading to the center of the city, sat in the small amphitheater where laws were passed, imagined a bustling market in the agora and gazed in awe at the meticulously reconstructed facade of the Library of Celsus.

Near the main entrance to the city (which was our exit), is the Great Theatre of Ephesus, which could hold 25,000 people. They usually hold summer concerts here, but it is under renovation for a few years. Elton John was one of many notables to play there.

Nearby to the city of Ephesus is the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built before Ephesus and destroyed by earthquakes and arson. Unlike Ephesus, there isn’t much left. Only one pillar remains of the original 127. After its destruction, the marble building elements were taken away and incorporated into a nearby church, a mosque and some parts were even shipped to ornament the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.Read more