Ephesus

Ephesus was a famous Greco-Roman city known for its harbor and the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus for three years and wrote to its church in his Epistle to the Ephesians. The Church was also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.

Founded by the Greeks and later renovated by the Romans, the Ephesus we see today dates to Roman times. Ephesus is included on practically every group tour of Türkiye and is also a destination for people arriving on cruise ships at the port of nearby Kuşadası.

Ephesus became the most important port city on the Aegean (west) coast of Asia Minor, but because of the Cayster River (today’s Menderes River), its harbor filled with silt and became unusable. Because of the relentless silting, Ephesus is now 5.3 kilometers (3.3 miles) away from the coast.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, Lived in Ephesus

Catholic Church tradition holds that Mary, the Mother of Christ, lived in a house on Mount Koressos (Turkish: Bülbül Dağı) 5.3 kilometers (3 miles) south of Ephesus. It is now a place of pilgrimage for both Christians and Muslims.

The Apostle John’s Tomb is in Ephesus

According to tradition, during the first century AD, the Apostle John moved to Ephesus from Jerusalem with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. John lived and preached in Ephesus until he was exiled to Patmos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea 90 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Ephesus.

After having a series of visions and writing the Book of Revelation, John returned to Ephesus, lived out his life, and was buried in a tomb on Ayasoluk Hill overlooking Ephesus. You can still visit Saint John’s tomb today.

The Third Ecumenical Council of 431 Was Held in Ephesus

The third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus was an important gathering of church officials at which Nestorius, the patriarch of Constantinople, was condemned and deposed. Nestorius and his followers held that Christ’s divine and human natures were separate and that Mary was the mother of only Jesus’s human nature. The council confirmed that Christ’s two natures were indivisible, and the designation of Mary as “Mother of God” was officially accepted.

History of Ephesus

Ephesus in the Bible

Ephesus is the only city in the New Testament that the Apostle Paul visited on his missionary journeys, which was also addressed as one of the Seven Churches of the Book of Revelation. It is where Paul wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians and probably where he wrote the second one as well.

Christianity was brought to Ephesus by Paul, Priscilla, and Aquila. Paul visited and preached in Ephesus during his second missionary journey and left Priscilla and Aquila there to look after the new converts. Paul revisited Ephesus on his third missionary journey and lived there for three years. During his return trip on the third journey, Paul bypassed Ephesus. He met the Ephesian church officials at nearby Miletus because he wanted to be in Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost.

Riot of the Silversmiths

One of the most famous stories in the Book of Acts concerns the riot in and around Ephesus’s theater during Paul’s stay there. Paul had aroused the anger of the Ephesian silversmiths, led by Demetrius. The silversmiths started a riot protesting Paul’s preaching because it hurt their business of making images of Artemis. The many conversions of Ephesians to Christianity also threatened their livelihood.

During the riot, the mob leaders seized Paul’s colleagues Gaius and Aristarchus and dragged them into the theater as the rest of the mob shouted at them from their seats. Paul wanted to go to the theater and speak to them, but his followers and local officials restrained him. After the trouble subsided, Paul went to the Ephesus harbor and sailed for Macedonia.

Ephesus in the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation, believed to have been written by the Apostle John while in exile on the nearby island of Patmos, records a series of visions given to John by the risen, glorified Christ. The visions explained how the world would end and included messages to be delivered to the seven churches in Asia Minor. Ephesus was the first church addressed.

In one of the visions, the glorified Christ praised the church of Ephesus for withstanding heresy from within and persecution from without. He praised their works, endurance, faithfulness, resistance to false teachers and prophets, and patient suffering and endurance. He criticized them, however, for forsaking their first love and not continuing to do those things they did at first.

Biblical References

Acts 18:19—21, 24—26; 19:1—20:17, 26, 35; 19:28; 20:16—17
1 Corinthians 15:32; 16:8
1 Timothy 1:3;
2 Timothy 1:18; 4:12
Ephesians 1:1
Revelation 1:11; 2:1—7

Where is Ephesus?

Ephesus is located on the Aegean (west) coast of Türkiye, in the Selçuk district of Izmir Province. It is around 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) south of Izmir (ancient Smyrna) and 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) southwest of Selçuk.

Address: Atatürk, Efes Harabeleri, 35920 Selçuk/Izmir, Türkiye.
Telephone: +90 232 892 6010.
Google Map Coordinates: 37.93549116797363, 27.345463625593844

Ephesus Map

If you are on site at Ephesus with a mobile device, you can navigate the site and see where you are in reference to the structures there by using this larger Google Custom Map.

What to See at Ephesus

There are many ancient buildings and structures to see while in Ephesus, but the most famous are the Library of Celsus, the Great Theater, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Ephesus Museum. Christians especially should see the Church of Saint John and the House of the Virgin Mary.

Two Entrances

There are two entrances to the Ephesus archaeological site The main, south entrance has a higher elevation, so you will be walking downhill on Curetes Street toward the Library of Celsus. It also has more shops, food, and drinks. The other (north) entrance is near the theater. This guide will begin at the south entrance.

Magnesia Gate

The Magnesia Gate is around 400 meters (437 yards) east of the south (main) entrance and outside the Ephesus archaeological site. The road from this gate led to Ephesus’s sister city, Magnesia ad Meandrum (Magnesia on the Meander River), around 24 kilometers (15 miles) to the southeast. Initially having a single entryway, it was expanded in the first century BC to have three entrances with flanking towers.

East Bath-Gymnasium

The East Bath-Gymnasium complex, dating from the second century AD, is 70 meters (76 yards) north of the Magnesia Gate. Behind the colonnaded stoa on its front is a palaestra with adjoining halls and a bath complex. In the fourth or fifth century, a three-aisled basilica church was built on top of it.

Tomb of the Apostle Luke

Luke was the author of the Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke. Before he became a follower of Jesus, he studied medicine and Greek philosophy. His symbol was the bull. According to tradition, this circular structure bearing the symbol of a bull is Luke’s tomb. It is immediately outside Ephesus’s south main entrance, on the road’s south side.

State Agora

The Ephesus state agora is just inside the entrance. State agoras contained mostly government buildings used to conduct government business rather than operate as a marketplace, as did the commercial agora next to the theater. The Romans called such a space a “forum.” The Ephesus state agora was first built during the Hellenistic period and was later modified by the Romans.

The state agora is 160 meters (525 feet) long and 58 meters (190 feet) wide. On its south side is a two-aisled colonnade with a road leading to the Magnesia Gate. On its east side is a gatehouse.

On the agora’s north side was a one-aisled, colonnaded stoa (called the basilica stoa) which, in the 11th century AD, was expanded to three aisles and dedicated to the goddess Artemis, Roman emperors Augustus and Tiberius, and the city of Ephesus. The stoa is 168 x 16 meters (117 x 35 feet). At the east entrance were statues of Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia, now in the Ephesus museum. Buildings behind the stoa included a bouleuterion / odeon, a temenos, and a prytaneion.

North Side

Bouleuterion / Odeon

The bouleuterion, a theater-like structure, dates back to Hellenistic times. It was the meeting place of the Boule (city council). The bouleuterion we see now was built by the Romans in the mid-second century AD. It had a capacity of 1,500 people. The first few rows of seats are still intact. It had arched doorways on both sides of the stage area and doorways connected to the stoa in front. Besides its official government purpose, the Bouleuterion also served as an odeon (performance hall).

Temenos

The temenos was a sacred temple precinct dedicated to Dea Roma, the patron goddess of Rome, and Divius Julius, the deified Julius Caesar. It contains a podium with an altar.

Prytanaeion

The prytaneion was first built in the first century AD and renovated in the third century. Comparable to a city hall, it was one of the most important buildings in Ephesus. Inside, the sacred eternal fire of Hestia Boulaia, goddess of the hearth, was kept burning. It also hosted banquets and receptions for visiting officials and political business.

Two extraordinarily preserved statues of Artemis, now in the Ephesus Museum, were discovered here. They had been ritually buried, probably after the disastrous earthquake in the fourth century AD, and probably to protect them from zealous Christians bent on destroying such pagan idols.

West Side

On the west side of the state agora is a small temple dating from the first century BC. Little is known about it, but there are indications it was a temple for the Egyptian goddess, Isis.

Southwest Corner

On the southwest corner of the state agora is a surge tank for the Marnas Aqueduct, which delivered water from the Marnas River to the upper city. There is also a nymphaeum (public fountain) built around 80 AD. It had a two-story facade with fountains and a large basin and was elaborately decorated with statues of goddesses, sea creatures, and river gods.

Northeastern Corner

On the northeastern corner of the agora is a bath/gymnasium complex. This was previously thought to be the baths of Varius or the Baths of Scholastica, but recently, this has been found to be incorrect. The bath is a typical Roman one with a caldarium, tepidarium, frigidarium, and dressing rooms. It also contains an area presumed to be a palaestra and latrines.

Domitian Square

Follow the road going west from the state agora to enter Domitian Square.

North Side

Memmius Monument and Hydreion

On the north side of Domitian Square is the Memmius Monument. It was built in the first century BC to honor Caius Memmius, the grandson of Roman emperor Sulla. On the west side of the Memmius Monument is the Hydreion, a public fountain with four columns. Its inscriptions date it originally to 92 or 93 AD. Around 300 AD, statues of Roman emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius Chlorus, and Galerius were added to the front of the fountain.

East Side

Chalcidicum

A chalcidicum is a vestibule or portico of a public building that opens into a state agora (forum). This one connects to the west end of the Basilica Stoa, which runs along the north side of the State Agora. It was probably built during the reign of Roman emperor Nero (54—68 AD).

South Side

Tomb Monument of Gaius Sextilius Pollio

Also called a heroon (a monument for a hero), the Monument of Gaius Sextilius Pollio was built at the beginning of the first century AD and renovated into a fountain in 93 AD. The arch in front of it, still there, was built to support an apsidal room, a semi-circular room at the end of a building. The pool for the fountain was inside this room. This building contained a group of statues, collectively called the Polyphemus Group, which included statues of characters in the legendary adventures of Odysseus after the Trojan War, including the blinding of the Cyclops. Other statues are of the river gods Marnas and Klaseas, and of Zeus. These statues are now in the Ephesus Museum.

Pollio was a leading citizen and benefactor of Ephesus. He sponsored the building of the aqueduct that brought water from the Marnius River, and the Basilica Stoa.

Temple of Domitian

The Temple of Domitian, also called the Temple of the Flavian Sebastoi (revered ones of the Flavian family), is on the north side of Curetes Street. It was built during the reign of Domitian (81—96 AD) and dedicated to Domitian and his brother Titus (reigned 79—81 AD), and his father Vespasian (reigned 69—79 AD). Their family name was “Flavius.” Only the terrace on which it stood and a substructure with storage rooms survives. The head and a forearm of a colossal statue of a Roman emperor and an elaborately decorated altar were found in these rooms. These are now in the Ephesus Museum.

Hercules Gate

The Hercules Gate is the west entrance for Curetes Street. Initially having two stories, it was probably built in the fourth or fifth century AD with reused stones and ornamentation. The gate’s name comes from reliefs, depicting Hercules, on the gate’s pillars. In the upper corners were flying Nikes. One of these flying Nike reliefs is now in Domitian Square.

Curetes Street

Curetes Street begins at the Hercules Gate and ends at the intersection with Marble Street at the Library of Celsus. Paved with blocks of marble, it was lined with columns and statues of local nobles, with a sewer running underneath. On each side were shops, houses, and public buildings. Curetes Street was also part of the Processional Way that led to the Temple of Artemis. The view of the Library of Celsus, looking down Curetes Street, is one of the city’s most impressive and most photographed scenes.

Fountain of Trajan

Built on the north side of Curetes Street sometime between 102 and 104 AD in honor of Roman Emperor Trajan (reigned 98—117 AD), the Fountain of Trajan was a two-story structure with numerous columns interspersed with niches containing statues. The surviving statues in the Ephesus Museum depict the goddess Aphrodite and the god Dionysus, a reclining satyr, and members of Trajan’s imperial family.

In the center of the fountain was a rectangular pool into which water poured. Towering over the pool from the rear was a twice-life-size statue of Trajan. One foot of the statue remains in its original position.

Stoa of Alytarches

The Stoa of Alytarches, on the south side of Curetes Street, is a colonnaded stoa built in the first century AD. It is named after the person who sponsored its construction. In the fifth century AD, a beautiful multicolored floor mosaic with geometric patterns, birds, flowers, and plants was added. Behind the stoa were several shops with two stories; the shop owners used the top floors as living quarters.

Temple of Hadrian

What is believed to be a Temple of Hadrian, on the north side of Curetes Street, is one of Ephesus’s best preserved and most photographed structures, second to the Library of Celsus. It was built next to the Scolastica Baths, in honor of Roman Emperor Hadrian (reigned 117—138 AD) sometime in the second century and renovated in the fourth century. It measures 10 x 10 meters (33 x 33 feet) and is 10 meters (33 feet) tall. It has a pronaos (front hall), a cella (main room), and a row of four columns in the front. The columns support a pediment with a central arch decorated by a bust of the Greek goddess Tyche, surrounded by acanthus leaves.

The four statue bases in front held statues of Roman emperors Galerius, Maximian, Diocletian, and Constantius Chlorus. Friezes in the temple include one of Androclus, the legendary founder of Ephesus, killing a boar in fulfilment of a prophecy by the oracle at Delphi, the fight between Hercules and Theseus, Amazons, and various gods. There is even a frieze of the Christian Emperor Theodosius I with pagan gods, suggesting that even during early Christian times, paganism was still alive in Ephesus.

The Octagon

The Octagon, built between 50 and 20 BC, is on the south side of Curetes Street in front and on the west (left) side of the Terrace Houses. It was an eight-sided monumental tomb, 13 meters (43 feet) high, with Corinthian columns, and it probably had a stepped pyramidal roof. Only its square pedestal is still in place. Fragments of the tomb are in storage, and some were taken to the Ephesus Museum in Vienna, Austria. In 1929, archaeologists found a burial chamber inside The Octagon with a sarcophagus containing the skeleton of a 15 to 18-year-old girl. There was no inscription. Carbon dating placed the remains between 50 and 20 BC. The carbon dating and the design of the tomb, which resembled the second tier of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt, caused some archaeologists to theorize that the girl might be Arsinoe, an Egyptian princess murdered by Mark Antony at the request of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII. This theory, however, is disputed.

Androclus Heroon

On the south side of Curetes Street, the so-called Androclus Heroon (an honorific monument for a hero) is in front of the terrace houses. It may have been dedicated to Androclus, the legendary Greek founder of Ephesus. It was a two-story, U-shaped structure with Doric columns and a fountain in its center. A water basin in the front, which later served as a fountain. During early Christian times, panels with crosses were added to its exterior.

Varius Bath (Bath of Scholastica)

This bath was initially built in the late first or early second century AD by P. Quintilius Varius Valens and his family. The bath is also called the Scholastica Bath because in the fourth century, a Christian woman named Scholastica sponsored its renovation. On the corner of Curetes Street and the Marble Road leading to the theater, there were two entrances, one on each street. It also contained a latrine and a room frequently called a brothel because a statuette of the Egyptian god Bes (or Priapus) was found there. Bes is always depicted having an enormous phallus. There was also an inscription in the room, meaning “brothel” or “latrine.”

On the east side of the baths, the latrine has bench seating with holes around three sides of an open courtyard. In ancient Ephesus, visiting the latrine was a social affair, hence the closeness of the seating. The area over the seats was roofed. Water continuously flowed through two channels, one under the seats to remove human waste, and the other in front of the seats to wash off sponges, which were attached to sticks, and used to clean off remaining excrement. The sponges were reused.

Terrace Houses

The two Terrace Houses complexes were first built in the first century AD and were inhabited, undergoing periodic refurbishment, until the seventh century AD. They were comparable to modern condominiums, with each unit typically having several rooms and more than one floor. The houses contained ornate marble columns, luxurious furnishings, running water, indoor plumbing with hypocaust systems, and bath installations. They were elaborately decorated with mosaics and frescoes depicting gladiators, animals, and people. This is where a wealthy Christian would host meetings of the Church of Ephesus, likely in the courtyard of one of the larger villas.

The Eastern Complex, measuring 2,500 square meters (8,200 square feet), consists of private houses on three terraces. On the second terrace is a comparatively larger house belonging to one of the more affluent Ephesian families. It has two stories, a courtyard surrounded by Ionic colonnades, a hall, a dining room, and a fountain. Floor mosaics and wall frescoes depict Hercules, Ariadne, Eros, a peacock, and floral motifs. Around this villa are the smaller houses for the middle class.

The Western Complex consists of five luxury villas with peristyles or inner courtyards. Many rooms have frescoes and the most extensive collection of ancient Roman floor mosaics in Western Türkiye. Most are from the first century to the first half of the third century. They have a geometric pattern motif depicting Triton, Nereids, Dionysus, Medusa, and a Lion.

Gate of Hadrian

The Gate of Hadrian, also called the Triodos Gate, is at the L-shaped corner of Curetes Street and Marble Street, which goes north to the theater. Three roads converged here (“Tridos” means “three roads”). The third road was the Ortygia Road, which goes to Ortygia, the legendary birthplace of Artemis.

This gate was built in 129 BC in honor of Roman Emperor Hadrian and his visit to Ephesus during a grand tour of the Roman Empire. It was tall and thin, measuring over 16.6 meters (54.5 feet) high and 11.4 meters (37.4 feet) wide, while being only 1.6 meters (4.92 feet) thick. It had three stories made of white marble with grey veins.

The first (ground) level had three entrances: a wide arched entrance in the middle to accommodate wagons and other wheeled vehicles, and two smaller side entrances with architraves for pedestrians. Only the two side entrances survive. The second level had four pillars, and the third story had six pillars with a gable on the top. Between the pillars were statues of gods, especially Artemis, as well as of the imperial family and various dignitaries.

The gate collapsed during the late third or early fourth century, possibly during a devastating earthquake in 262 AD. It was rebuilt in the fourth or fifth century when a water basin was added, making it a fountain. According to an inscription on the site, during the fifth century, a Christian man named Demeas removed the statue of Artemis and added a cross, making it a Christian structure.

Library of Celsus

Construction of the Library of Celsus began in 110 AD, funded by Tiberius Julius Aquila Polemaenus, son of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaenus (lived c. 45—120 AD). Celsus was a Roman general, consul, and later the Proconsul of the Roman Province of Asia (105—106 AD). In addition to being a place of learning, the library was to serve as a mausoleum for Celsus, whose sarcophagus was placed in a burial chamber in its basement.

The library’s construction was completed in 135 AD by the children of Aquila Polemaenus. At some point, the interior was destroyed by fire, and by 400 AD, it no longer functioned as a library, so the facade was used as a backdrop for a pool.

The first floor of the facade has four groups of two columns supporting pediments, with niches between them containing statues of women representing the virtues of wisdom, bravery, knowledge, and thought. The original statues were removed and taken to the Museum of Art History in Vienna, Austria. What remains are copies. There are three entrances between the first-floor column groups.

The second floor has three groups of two columns and single columns on the sides. Between the column groups are large windows that let in natural light. Between these column groups are pedestals for additional statues.

The library’s interior was a large 61 x 17 meter (200 x 57 foot) room with a second-floor gallery reached by stairs built against the wall. The entire building had a double wall with space between, probably for air circulation to prevent moisture damage to the scrolls. Rows of holes and niches that once held shelves for the scrolls can still be seen.

Gate of Mazaeus and Mithridates

This triumphal three-arched gate was built around 40 AD by the freed slaves Mazaeus and Mithridates in honor of Roman Emperor Augustus, who gave them their freedom and sent them to Ephesus to manage various local affairs of the Roman Empire. Next to the Library of Celsus, it served as the south entrance to the Tetragonos (Commercial) Agora. It is one of the most impressive and best-preserved monumental gates in Türkiye. The center arch of the gate is recessed, giving it a deeper, more dramatic appearance. Above the arches are friezes with an ivy motif, with a dentil cornice above. The very top of the gate features Latin and Greek inscriptions expressing praise to Emperor Augustus and his family, and bearing the names of Mazaeus and Mithridates. The recesses of the inscriptions were initially inlaid with gilded bronze letters.

Commercial (Tetragonos) Agora

The commercial agora was Ephesus’s primary marketplace. Measuring 110 x 110 meters (364 x 364 feet), it is also called the “Tetragonos Agora,” which means “square market.”

The commercial agora was originally built sometime in the third century BC. It was reconstructed during the reign of Roman Emperor Augustus (reigned 27 BC—14 AD) when it was given its square shape with two-story stoas surrounding it. Around 100 shops, restaurants, and other commercial facilities were behind the stoas. The agora also contained hundreds of statues of famous rhetoricians, philosophers, athletes, and state officials.

The Apostle Paul likely worked in one of the shops of the commercial agora with his friends Aquila and Priscilla, making leather goods and tents, which were always in high demand by the Roman Army.

There were three entrance gates: The southern Gate of Mazaeus and Mithridates at the square in front of the Library of Celsus, the western gate that led to the harbor, and the north gate, on the northeast corner next to the theater.

It was likely here, and in the theater, that the famous Riot of the Silversmiths began over Paul’s preaching, denouncing idolatry, and its effect on the livelihood of the artisans who made statues of Artemis. (Acts 19:23—41).

At the southwest corner of the commercial agora is a temple thought to be a temple of Serapis (the Serapeion), which was later converted into a Christian church.

Ephesus Experience Museum

This museum is not to be missed. It uses modern technology to recreate the experience of living in Ephesus during its heyday.

Marble Street

Marble Street runs north-south between Curetes Street, the Library of Celsus, and the theater. It was also part of the processional way that led to the Temple of Artemis. On its east side was a colonnade with shops behind it. On its west was the commercial agora. The marble paving was added during the fifth century AD.

If you look carefully while walking along the west side of Marble Street, you will see what is thought to be an advertisement carved into the stone. It depicts a woman’s face, a foot, and a heart shape. It is said that it was showing the way to the building serving as a brothel at the intersection with Curetes Street, but this is unlikely because the building was probably not a brothel.

Theater

The theater is one of the most magnificent structures of Ephesus. Beginning as a smaller structure probably built in the second century BC, the Romans enlarged and renovated it from the first to the third centuries AD. The Romans increased the seating capacity to around 12,000 spectators, enlarged the stage building into a three-story facade, and covered the cavea (seating area) with a retractable awning.

The theater hosted performances and theatrical competitions, and was also a place of assembly. The Apostle Paul likely preached to the Ephesians in this theater, and while there, you can imagine yourself being Paul preaching to the crowd, or sitting in the audience listening to him. It’s also a great place to get a lesson from your pastor!

The Book of Acts records that the silversmiths started a riot because Paul’s preaching was hurting the business of the silversmiths who made idols of Artemis. Shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” They dragged Paul’s companions Gaius and Aristarchus into the theater. Paul was restrained from addressing the crowd. After the riot, Paul walked down the Harbor Road, boarded a ship, and sailed to Macedonia.

The Ephesus Theater hosts musical performances by the world’s most famous musicians. Past performers include Elton John, Sting, and Luciano Pavarotti. There are around ten concerts per year. If you want to attend an upcoming performance, buy tickets at www.biletix.com.

Theater Gymnasium

The Theater Gymnasium was built in the second century AD. It consisted of a 70 x 30 meter (230 x 98 foot) palaestra bordered by a covered portico on three sides, and steps on the fourth side where spectators could watch the athletes as they trained. The complex contained baths in the southern section with classrooms on the east and west sides. Five rooms on the north side of the complex served as a library and conference rooms. In the middle was an imperial hall containing statues of various emperors, now on display in the Izmir Archaeology Museum.

Street of Arcadius

Also called Harbor Street or Arcadian Street after Roman Emperor Arcadius (reigned 395—408 AD), who renovated it, this is the main road between the theater and the harbor of Ephesus. It is around 530 meters (580 yards) long and 10 meters (33 feet) wide.

The Street of Arcadius had mosaic-paved colonnades with shops behind them on both sides. The entire street was covered to protect the people from the sun and rain. In the 5th century, lamps were added to illuminate the street at night.

During Emperor Justinian’s reign (527—565 AD), statues of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were added halfway between the harbor and the theater. Only the bases of the statues remain.

Harbor Gymnasium and Baths

The Harbor Baths are near the port on the north side of the Street of Arcadius. They were probably built during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81—96 AD). The baths contained the usual parts: hot, warm, and cold rooms, changing rooms, and latrines. The Harbor Gymnasium on the east side had two stories, measured 40 x 20 meters (131 x 66 feet), and contained a palaestra surrounded by rooms.

A xystos (covered running track) is on the east side of the gymnasium. It consisted of a three-aisle colonnade, with the middle aisle used by the runners.

Statues and other archaeological findings from these buildings are in the Ephesus Museum in Vienna, Austria.

Church of the Virgin Mary

Also called the Council Church, the Church of the Virgin Mary is believed to be the site of the Third Ecumenical Council, also called the Council of Ephesus, in 431 AD. This council, convened by Byzantine Emperor Theodosius the Younger, was attended by around 250 delegates from all over the Christian world.

The purpose of the Third Ecumenical Council was to establish Christian doctrine concerning the heresy of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and about the human and divine nature of the person of Jesus. It also firmly established the title of the Virgin Mary as “Mother of God.”

The church was constructed in the space of a former Roman building. Later, two smaller churches were built on the same site, leaving a confusing presentation for today’s visitors trying to figure out what is what. The church is located around 100 meters west of the parking lot of the north entrance of Ephesus (the one near the theater).

Stadium

The Ephesus Stadium is 600 meters (657 yards) north of the theater, beyond the north main entrance to Ephesus. It is on the south side of the Vedius Gymnasium.

The stadium was first built as a running track in Hellenistic times. Its southern side had a seating section recessed into the slope of a hill. It was enlarged and renovated under Roman Emperor Nero (reigned 54—68 AD) to its current measurements of 230 x 80 meters (262 feet). The renovation included a vaulted arch structure to support seating on the northern side.

In Roman times, the stadium was used for chariot races, gladiatorial contests, wild animal fights, and even mock naval battles, as evidenced by water pipes that would have served that purpose. The stadium was also used for public executions of criminals, especially Christians who refused to renounce their faith and sacrifice to the Roman emperor or pagan gods.

Little remains of the stadium. Stones in the seating areas were removed in the sixth century to build the Basilica of Saint John on nearby Ayasoluk Hill.

Vedius Gymnasium

The Vedius Gymnasium is north of the stadium on the right side of the entrance road to Ephesus’s north entrance. Publius Vedius Antoninus, a generous benefactor of the city, built it between 147 and 149 AD and dedicated it to the goddess Artemis and Roman Emperor Antonius Pius (reigned 138—161 AD).

The gymnasium complex measured 135 x 85 meters (443 x 279 feet). The west side contained an elaborately decorated room, probably an imperial hall dedicated to the emperor-worshipping cult of Antoninus Pius. On the east side was a palaestra measuring 130 x 64 meters (427 x 210 feet) surrounded by a covered arcade, behind which were rooms for changing and storage. On the south side of the palaestra was a ceremonial gate.

Temple of Artemis (Artemision)

The Temple of Artemis was the largest temple in the Hellenistic world and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built atop two previous temples destroyed first by flood and then by fire, the current Temple of Artemis was built in 323 BC. Alexander the Great offered to rebuild it, but the Ephesians declined, saying it would be improper for one god to build a temple for another.

The temple of 323 BC is the one that existed and the one we see today. It was 137 meters (450 feet) long, 69 meters (226 feet) wide, and 18 meters (60 feet) tall. It had a wooden roof and 27 columns. It was four times larger than the Parthenon in Athens, and at the end of the Processional Way of Ephesus, along which visitors from all over the Mediterranean would walk from the center of Ephesus to the temple to make sacrifices and bring gifts, seeking the favor of Artemis.

In 262 AD, the Goths destroyed the temple. Because of the Christianization of the Roman Empire, it was never rebuilt. It was used as a quarry to build the Basilica of Saint John on nearby Aysoluk Hill, in sight of the Temple of Artemis.

On the site today, there is only a foundation, often covered with water, and one column pieced together from other column pieces, 13 feet shorter than the original columns.

Church of Saint John

According to tradition, the Apostle John came to Ephesus with Mary, the mother of Jesus, sometime around 40 AD. After his death, c. 100 AD, John was buried in a small mausoleum that also served as a church on Aysoluk Hill overlooking Ephesus.

In 548 AD, Emperor Justinian (reigned 527—565) tore down the aging mausoleum-church and built the domed, cruciform church we see today. Construction was completed in 565 AD. It was called the Church of Saint John the Theologian because John’s knowledge of God was so great that it could not have been the knowledge of a human. Large and grand, and measuring 110 meters x 60 meters (360 x 197 feet), it resembled the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople.

It would have been richly decorated with multicolored marble, mosaics, and frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible. Its stepped semicircular apse, still in place, still watches over the Apostle John’s tomb, which is marked by four columns and a sign. In the north part of the church is a cross-shaped baptistery with a small square basin next to it, probably for olive oil for ritual anointing.

The case for the person in the tomb being the Apostle John is strong. The tomb is directly in front of the apse and in the center of the church’s cross design. It is aligned east to west. Other tombs found on both sides were at right angles to it. Clearly, the person buried in the tomb was of the highest importance to the Christian church of Ephesus.

House of the Virgin Mary

The House of the Virgin Mary is on a forested hill 5.3 kilometers (3 miles) south of the Ephesus Archaeological site and 8.5 kilometers south of Selçuk. According to tradition, Mary came to Ephesus with the Apostle John and spent the last days of her life here.

A 19th-century German nun with the stigmata (bleeding of the hands and feet as if being crucified) claimed that the location of the house of Mary was revealed to her in a series of visions. Priests from Izmir came and explored the area and found the house she described. The house that is there now is from around the 13th century and was built on an earlier foundation. Today, it is a place of pilgrimage for Christians and Muslims.

Services are held here every Sunday at 10:00 AM. On August 15th, Christian and Muslim pilgrims come to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.

Cave (Grotto) of the Seven Sleepers

The Cave of the Seven Sleepers is on the east side of Panayır Dağı (Fair Mountain), the opposite side of the Ephesus theater, around one kilometer (.62 miles) northwest. According to legend, during the reign of Roman Emperor Trajan Decius (reigned 249—251), seven young men were accused of being Christians and required to renounce their faith and make a sacrifice. Instead, they fled to this cave and prayed. While praying, they fell into a deep sleep. They were found sleeping, and the cave was sealed off, with them inside, as punishment for their refusal to renounce Christ.

Around 250 years later, the landowner wanted to use the cave, so he broke open the seal, and the young men awakened. They were hungry, so one of them went into Ephesus to buy food. The young man was surprised to see crosses and other Christian symbols everywhere. The Ephesians were surprised to see his old clothing and money, which was 250 years old. They explained to the young man that Christian Emperor Theodosius II was on the throne and that Christianity was the state religion.

The local bishop heard the story and declared it a miracle. When the young men died, they were buried in the cave, which became a place of pilgrimage and a popular place for others to be buried.

Ephesus Museum

The Ephesus museum is in nearby Selçuk and is a must-see when visiting Ephesus. It displays many archaeological finds from Ephesus and the surrounding area.

Room 1

Room 1 displays:

• Finds from the Terrace Houses
• Medical and cosmetic items and jewelry
• Mosaics and frescoes
• Statues and bronzes, including those of
  • Artemis
  • Eros
  • Bes (Priapus)
  • An Egyptian Priest
• Busts of
  • Socrates
  • Marcus Aurelius
  • Menander
  • Tiberius
  • Livia
• A fresco of Socrates

Room 2

Room 2, called the Room of the Fountains, displays statues that were in three fountains of the city, including the river god Marnas, Dionysus, and Aphrodite.

Room 3

Room 3 contains small finds such as ivory friezes, lamps, coins, and gold objects from graves.

Room 4

Room 4 is an outdoor courtyard containing grave stelae, sarcophagi, a sundial, and various architectural pieces.

Room 5

Room 5 contains grave finds, some dating back to Mycenaean times.

Room 6

Room 6 contains objects associated with the Temple of Artemis, including the museum’s most famous two large statues of Artemis Ephesia.

Room 7

Room 7 is the Imperial Cult Room. It contains the altar from the Temple of Domitian with its military motifs emphasizing victories over Rome’s enemies. It also displays busts or portrait heads of Roman Emperors Augustus, Trajan, and Commodus. There is also a colossal head and forearm from the statue of an emperor, probably either Domitian or Titus, that was nearly 25 feet tall.

Visiting Ephesus

Allow half a day to visit the Ephesus Archaeological site, one to two hours each to see the Church of Saint John, the House of the Virgin Mary, and the Ephesus Museum, and 15 minutes to see the Temple of Artemis.

Ephesus and Associated Sites Opening Hours

The Ephesus archaeological site and associated sites are open every day.

Summer (1 April to 31 October): 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Winter (1 November to 31 March): 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Terrace Houses Opening Hours

The Terrace Houses are also open every day.

Summer (1 April to 31 October): 08:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Winter (1 November to 31 March): 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The ticket offices close 30 minutes before the sites’ closing times.

Virtual Tours of the Ephesus Archaeological Site and Museum

The website of Türkiye’s General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums has an excellent virtual tour of the Ephesus Archaeological Site and the Ephesus Museum.

How to Go to Ephesus

From Izmir

• Take Highway E87 south for 73 kilometers (45.36 miles).
• Turn south onto Highway D550 at the sign reading Selçuk, Efes (Ephesus), and Kuşadası.
• Drive 11.8 kilometers (7.3 miles) to Selçuk.
• In Selçuk, you will see signs directing you to turn right (west). The first turn, in Selçuk city center, will take you to the northern theater entrance. After you leave Selçuk, the second signposted turn will take you to the southern entrance to the state agora and Curetes Street.