The ANZ Guesthouse in Selçuk offers a range of accomodations from budget to luxury just a short walk away from Ephesus. Recommended by Lonely Planet, Let's Go, Rough Guide, Guide du Routard, and Footprint travel guides.

Ephesus

Ephesus was one of the great cities of the Ionian Greeks in Asia Minor, the region called Anatolia by the Greeks. It was located in the Greek nation-state of Lydia, where the Cayster River flowed into a natural harbor extending several kilometers to the Aegean Sea. The locals, of course, knew it as Έφεσος. Under Roman rule it became the second largest city of the Roman Empire, and in the 1st century BC it was the second largest city in the world.

Today, Ephesus is a collection of ruins just a couple of kilometers west of Selçuk, a small town about an hour by bus south of İzmir.

The area was inhabited back into the Neolithic or New Stone Age, and a sizeable settlement grew up here in the early Bronze Age. The center of settlement moved around throughout prehistory and through the historic times, as the river changed its course in this flat valley and the location of the natural harbor moved and finally disappeared.

The Great Theatre in Ephesus looks over the harbor district toward the Aegean.

The small hill in the distance in the below picture has a small Byzantine era fort on top. From there you have a nice view of the site of the harbor (just beyond the Harbor Street seen leading away above), and in the other direction, to the Aegean coast.

The following timeline describes the history of Ephesus. Below that are lots more pictures!

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History of Ephesus
Prehistoric times through the Neolithic Age		The excellent location was settled early. The area was settled during around 6000 BC during the Neolithic Age as shown by the nearby hoyuklar, or artificial mounds or tells near Arvalya and Cukurici. Early worship of the Mother Goddess of west Asia begins. See the page on the Temple of Artemis, the later temple dedicated to a combination of the Greek and Roman diety with this local West Asian Mother Goddess in this truly Old-Time Religion.
Early Bronze Age Mycenaean era		Mycenaean era pottery has been found at Ephesus, and a burial ground from 1500-1400 BC was discovered on Ayasuluk Hill near the ruins of the Basilica of Saint John. Mycenaean, in the Peloponnese just south of Korinthos, was the opposing side in the Trojan War. And yes, Troy is also in Turkey, up the coast near Canakkale, where the water from the Black Sea has made its way down the Bosphorus, into the Sea of Marmara, and then down the Hellespont ("Greek Bridge") into the Aegean. The Mycenaeans, or the Achaioi (or Άχαοι as Homer called them), were expanding from the Mycenaean homeland in the Peloponnese of southern Greese. Ephesus is believed by many researchers to be the Apasa (or Abasa) that the Hittites described as the capital of the kingdom of Arzawa or Ahhiyawa. See the page on Hatuşaş, the Hittite capital in north-central Turkey, for more on the Hittites. Ephesus was founded as an Attic-Ionian colony in the 10th century BC on Ayasuluk Hill above modern Selçuk and three kilometers from the ruins of Ephesus seen today. It was attacked and sacked by the Cimmerians around 650 BC. The Lydians under King Croesus conquered the city around 560 BC.
Persian rule		Later in the 500s BC the Lydians under the rule of King Croesus invaded Persia. The Lydians in Ephesus sided with Croesus and Lydia. When the Persians defeated Croesus' Lydians, they insisted that the Ionians surrender and join the Persian Empire. The Greek cities of Asia Minor were incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, and ruled by Persian Satraps.
Classic Greece		Alexander the Great passed through Ephesus at the beginning of his conquests. He had just defeated the Persian forces at the Battle of Granicus in 334 BC, liberating the Greek cities of Asia Minor. He saw that the Temple of Artemis was not yet finished being reconstructed after a recent catastrophic fire, and he suggested that he finance its reconstruction and have his name added to its front. The wise Ephesians knew how to talk him out of this, by saying that it was not fitting for one god to build a temple to another. The ruins of Ephesus seen today are of the city rebuilt in 290 BC by Lysimachus, one of Alexander's generals who divided up rule of his empire after his death. Ephesus became known as "The first and greatest metropolis of Asia." It was famous for its: Temple of Artemis — said to be the largest building of the ancient world (according to Pausanias), and one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world (according to Antipater of Sidon, who compiled the original list, and much later by Philo of Byzantium, who further popularized the idea). Great theatre, which could seat 25,000. And it is still used for concerts by the likes of Sting, Pavarotti, etc. But no gladatorial combat, that was strictly a Roman thing... A significant library and center of learning. Lots of businesses, smaller theatres, and more. Lysimachus was killed in 281 BC, leading to the town being absorbed into the Seleucid Empire. Then Ptolomy III, descendent of Alexander's general who seized control of Egypt, came along the coast of Asia Minor seizing land. Ephesus was ruled from Egypt 263-197 BC. The Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC gave control to the kingdom of Pergamun, from which it passed to Roman control around 100 BC.
Roman Ephesus		When Rome took over the Greek lands in addition to much of the rest of western Asia, Ephesus became the proconsular capital of western Asia Minor. Ephesus grew in size and importance. The four major cities of the Roman Empire became: Rome (obviously!) Ephesus Antioch (also in Turkey, near the Syrian border on the Mediterranean coast — called Antakya today) Alexandria (in Egypt at the edge of the Nile delta) The population of Ephesus had reached 250,000 in the 1st century BC, and by 100 CE, the population had grown to an estimated 400,000 to 500,000, making it the second largest city in the world after Rome. The Romans added their own style of infrastructure — many aqueducts for water supply, public baths, and one of the earliest sewage systems. Click here to see the public toilets!
Early Christianity		The apostle John came to Ephesus soon after 33 CE, and lived there the rest of his life. A prominent theory is that John brought Jesus' mother Mary with him, because he had been charged with taking care of her, and you couldn't very well take care of someone many hundreds of kilometers away in those days! See the page on Maryemana for what is thought to be Mary's home on a mountaintop above Ephesus. Paul passed through here many times on his travels, as did the gospel writer and Greek physician and history writer Luke — see Luke's Acts of the Apostles for some local history (including a report of a riot in the Great Theatre), and Paul's Letter to the Ephesians for his letter to the community he had come to know. Paul wrote his first Letter to the Corinthians during one period when he was in Ephesus. John's Revelation was written from the nearby island of Patmos, but it was addressed to seven churches in western Turkey — Ephesus was one of the seven. See the list further down this page for how over half of the New Testament has some connection to today's Turkey. Paoli United Methodist Church paoli-umc.com A major church building, the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, was built in Ephesus in the 300s. The Third Ecumenical Council of 431 was held in this basilica. An ecumenical council was a major meeting to define church doctrine. Usually, as in this case, it was really called to stamp out what were seen as heresies, and in the process define someone (Nestorius in the council of 431) as a heretic. In the 500s, under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, the enormous Basilica of Saint John was completed nearby. It was on a hill well outside the city, overlooking the former site of the Temple of Artemis, whose stones were re-used in its construction. The site overlooks what is now the town of Selçuk.
Post-Roman era		In 263 CE — late Roman times — Ephesus was sacked by those pesky and violent Goths. However, the city rebuilt and moved on, and became the second-most important city in the Byzantine Empire through the 400s and 500s. In 654-655, 700, and 716 the Arabs sacked the city, and earthquakes around that time changed the flow of the Cayster River (now known as the Küçük Menderes, or the "Little Menderes"). The harbor quickly disappeared as it filled with silt. This confuses some visitors initially — Ephesus was a major sea port, but where is the sea? If you go up on the small hill seen in the distance in the above picture, where you find a small Byzantine-era fort, you are on a high spot between Ephesus and the present coastline. At certain times of the year, the area of the former river mouth and harbor are visible as a large area that is slightly greener because the soil has a little more moisture. With the complete failure of the harbor and heavy damage to the city's buildings, the once-great city of Ephesus quickly faded away. When the Seljuk Turks conquered the area in 1090, Ephesus was just a small village in the city ruins. The Byzantines took the city back just ten years later, in 1100, and kept control until the late 1200s. The Ottoman Turks then held the area, and Ephesus was completely abandoned in the 1400s.
Ephesus today		Up through the 1970s Ephesus was just a remote ruin known to historians, archaeologists, and the local people. In the past few decades, as international tourism has become more and more popular, Ephesus has been an increasingly popular destination. Today the ruins have been largely restored, there is frequent bus and dolmuş service to Selçuk, and there are many nice guesthouses and hostels in Selçuk for visitors.

On to the pictures!

This is The Great Theatre, a view looking south from the far left seats. It could seat 25,000 back when the city of Ephesus was at its peak. After its partial restoration, now it is again used for concerts.

The original stage surface is missing. The array of square-topped columns supported the stage, and the space below could be used for special effects of the day. For example, gods rising out of the stage and appearing out of nowhere. That area could also serve as dressing and storage areas.

Here is another view toward the west from the theatre. The broad street running off into the distance is Harbor Street — it used to be a major avenue leading to the nearby harbor.

Ephesus was a major seaport, even though it is several kilometers from the Aegean Sea. Earthquakes greatly reduced the flow of the Cayster River, and the natural harbor silted up.

The Great Theatre, seen from near the end of Harbor Street.

The Library of Celsus was built around 125 BCE by Gaius Julius Aquila in memory of his father. This was a significant center of study — the library held about 12,000 scrolls. It faces toward the east, so the reading rooms could make the best use of the morning light.

The façade is about all that remains of the original structure.

The city center

Like the Great Theatre, The Library of Celsus sits at one of the main intersections of the city. This view is toward the west, looking toward the area of the harbor and toward the sea.

Another view from higher on the hill, on a darker day.

The city center

This view is looking the opposite direction, away from the Library of Celsus and up the hill along Curetes Way.

That major avenue went through the business district, past many other temples, smaller theatres, baths, the public toilets, and residential districts.

Looking down Curetes Way, past Trajan's Fountain and the Temple of Hadrian toward the city center.

Cybele / Artemis

An architectural column in the city shows the uniquely Ephesian twist on the Greek goddess Artemis (or Αρτεμις).

Or looking at it more realistically, the Greeks arrived to find the locals worshipping the Anatolian Mother Goddess, known to the Phrygians as Cybele. The Greeks then did their usual thing and identified that local deity with whatever goddess of theirs seemed to be the closest.

In this case it wasn't very close — Artemis and Cybele or the Mother Goddess were very different.

There are some shrines to the Anatolian Mother Goddess on the way from Selçuk to Ephesus. See the page describing the walk from Selçuk to Ephesus for pictures of these Mother Goddess shrines.

Worship of the Mother Goddess dates back to Neolithic times. A figurine found at Çatal Höyük dates back to about 6000 BC.

Moving to a much newer religion, over half of the New Testament of the Bible was written:

• About events that took place in what is now Turkey, or
• To communities or individuals in what is now Turkey, or
• While the author was in what is now Turkey

Ignoring the difficulty of precise attribution of the texts, the list is:

7957 verses total, of which 4550 (57%) were written about, to, or from, what is now Turkey.

Practical matters

Ephesus is just a couple of kilometers from Selçuk. You could take a dolmuş from the town center, although your guesthouse could probably give you a lift.

However, it is a pleasant and very interesting walk from Selçuk to Ephesus — you pass the Temple of Artemis, a rock-cut shrine to the Mother Goddess, and the Cave of the Seven Sleepers. Click here for a description of that walk and detailed directions.

Ephesus is open 0800-1700 daily.

To Selçuk

To the Selçuk-to-Ephesus walking guide

Destinations in Turkey

İstanbul — Haghia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Golden Horn, Bosphorus, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire	Cappadocia — Rock-carved churches, cave homes, 1000 year old frescos, underground cities, Göreme	Ephesus — Well-preserved Greek city, major city of the Roman Empire, home of early Christianity
Gallipoli — World War I battlefield where the ANZAC forces faced the Turks in 1915	Nemrut Dağı — Mysterious statues on a mountain peak in eastern Turkey	Olimpos — Treehouses, the Chimera or burning mountain, ruins, beaches
Silk Road Hans — Caravanserais in central Turkey from 1000-1500 AD	Hattusha or Hatuşaş — Hittite Empire capital at Boğazkale	Konya — Home of the Sufi mystic poet Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes, distinctive Seljuk architecture
Aphrodisias — Greek religious center in a mountain valley and home of some of the best Greek sculptors	Temple of Artemis — One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, near Ephesus	Halicarnassus — The Tomb of King Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, at Bodrum, Köycegiz Lake, Kaunos, and Dalyan
Mountain Trek — Byzantine monastery ruins from 800-1100 AD in the Beşparmak Mountains, the Royal Road from Constantinople to Babylon	Pamukkale — Travertine formations, ruins at Laodicea and Hierapolis near Denizli	Selçuk — Basilica of Saint John, Isa Bey mosque, weekly market, and the storks
Maryemana — The House of the Virgin Mary on a mountain above Ephesus	The last Ottoman Sultan — Ertuğrul Osman V lived on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan: searching for his home	Turkish Food — Kebabs, simit, spices, coffee, tea pide, cacık, mercimek çorbası, plav, gözleme, and more
Turkish Bus Travel — Finding your way through the otogar or bus station, luxury long-haul buses, short rides on the dolmuş	Turkish Train Travel — Cross Turkey overnight in style in a first-class sleeper compartment	Konya'da dervişleri görüyorum. Konya'da dervişleri görürüm. Konya'da dervişleri göreceğim. Konya'da dervişleri görmüşüm. Konya'da dervişleri gördüm. Konya'da dervişleri görmeliyim. Konya'da dervişleri görsem, ... Konya'da dervişleri göreyim. Ç/ç, Ğ/ğ I/ı, İ/i, Ö/ö, Ü/ü, Ş/ş Turkish Grammar — An introduction and study guide: special characters, vowel harmony, and those complicated Turkish verbs
	All the way back to the introduction	How is the plumbing?

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