'He who had laid eyes on it once will be convinced that the world of the immortal gods has moved from the heaven to earth' said the ancient poet Philon who saw the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Being the homeland of such masterpieces, artists and philophers throughout history, Ephesus nurtured a succession of civilizations that shaped our world. The civilizations that founded Ephesus, fostered an incredible flowering of art, architecture, philosophy, science and literature. Now, a historical resort by Aegean Coasts, it casts an irresistible spell of enchantment. The Artemis Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of The World, Mother Mary Church, The Curetes Street, the Celsus Library, The Temple of Hadrian, and the Ephessus Theatre are the main attractions of the town.

HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                  According to ancient inscriptions, Ephesus is thought to have been inhabited since around 3000 BC, roughly the same time as Smyrna, and evidence of Ion, Roman, Byzantine, Seljukian and Ottoman civilisations are still seen today. The ancient city was a good centre for trading, mainly because of its location close to coast, and religion. It was known for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess, then later for Artemis, the virgin goddess for which a temple was built in her honour.

The temple was destroyed in 356BC, and when Alexander the Great passed through in 334 BC he offered to pay for the cost of a new construction, provided it was dedicated to him. The Ephesus people declined, and rebuilt it with great success.

When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance, and a population that grew to around 250,000. A significant Christian community grew, and the city was visited by St John the Evangelist in the 1st century, then by St Paul, who was there between 51-53 AD and wrote some of his epistles. It was also the venue of two Ecumenical Councils.

But the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle, mainly because of problems connected to the harbour, which was the main source of trade. The Cayster River was pushing silt up the harbour and despite attempts to dredge it and rebuild the harbour, the sea was pushed back to Pamucak, 4km away, and therefore Ephesus lost its source of wealth. By the 6th century, the city was unliveable and was shifted near to St John’s Basilica, and by 1090 it was taken over by the Turks.

Destinations                                                                                                                                                                     Ephesus (Kusadasi) Hotels                                                                                                                                           Ephesus Tours