WillhiteWeb.com: Europe Travel

The hotel woke us up at 4:15 a.m.! By 4:30 a.m. we were driving into town. We waited for bus but only picked up other people. Then we waited in another place for our bus to come. The mini van even chased the wrong bus down the freeway. Finally at 6:40 just as the sun was rising the bus came. By 9:30 we were in Selcuk with our tour guy waiting, holding signs with our names on it. On tour, we saw the House of Virgin Mary. Very interesting. Then we dropped down into Ephesus. Our tour guide was excellent. Ephesus was interesting. Lots of reconstruction. Lunch was all you can eat. We thought it was ok for a Turkish Tour lunch. After lunch, we went to one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. There was not anything left! Only one column and it was not even the original of the Temple of Artemis. After, we were taken to another rug place. No more rugs! We sat it out. After the tour we had about 5 hours to kill before our night bus took us back to Istanbul. We did not do much, more internet, shopping, had a dinner that cost 2 USD.

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Temple of Hadrian

Curetes Street

Odeion

Odeion

Ephesus Theatre

Best seats in the Odeion

Ephesus Library

Ephesus Library

Ephesus Library

Prytaneion

House of Virgin Mary

Below: Map of Ephesus

Sculpture at the House of Virgin Mary

A state of trance as I am shown my 425th rug

Detail in the rock

Ephesus Turkey is one of the most famous archeological sites in the world. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it was port city in the Greek and Roman Empires. The Roman ruins are in particular great shape, especially the huge theatre. The entrance to the Library of Celsus has been reconstructed and looks amazing. It may have once held around 12,000 scrolls.

The House of the Virgin is located in a nature park and believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. Based on the belief that John came to Ephesus and that Mary was consigned to Johns care. Archaeologists have examined the building saying it dates from the 6th or 7th century, but its foundations are much older and may well date from the 1st century AD.

The Temple of Artemis was a Greek temple dedicated to a goddess Greeks identified as Artemis that was completed around 550 BC at Ephesus. Though the monument was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only foundations and sculptural fragments of the temple remain. There were previous temples on its site, where evidence of a sanctuary dates as early as the Bronze Age. The whole temple was made of marble except for the roof.

Site of the Temple of Artemis in Selcuk, near Ephesus

Ephesus

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