Pergamon Archaeological Site in Turkey is a large and fascinating ancient city where visitors can explore well-preserved ruins such as a steep theatre on the hillside, the impressive remains of temples and altars, and the historic library, all of which show how important and advanced this place was in the Greek and Roman times.
Turkey: Ephesus Archaeological Site
Ephesus is an ancient city in Turkey’s Central Aegean region, near modern-day Selçuk. Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire – when it was the Mediterranean’s main commercial center – to the spread of Christianity.
The reason I had brought us to Selçuk was to visit the archaeological site of Ephesus. So, after a tasty breakfast, we headed out. I was reluctant to take the car as we had got a great spot and it was market day so I thought we might find it hard to park when we got back, so we decided to walk.
From the town centre, it was around three kilometres to Ephesus, but it was a lovely day – sunny and not too hot. Another great thing was there was a tree-lined (hence shady) flat, walking/cycling trail most of the way avoiding having to walk along the road.
Along the way, we noticed signs for the Temple of Artemis and thought we’d take a quick look. The Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BCE) was a huge structure and in its time must have been truly impressive. Indeed, it has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Sadly, there is nothing left apart from the ruins that show the outline of this massive structure. We read some of the information panels, took some photos and carried on our way.
As we approached the gates of the archaeological site, we were greeted by a man who was directing traffic. He advised that the nearest gate was at the bottom of the hill and meant walking a couple of kilometres uphill and then coming back down. He advised going to the gate at the top by taxi and walking down the hill. We sort of ignored his advice and carried onto the lower gate. After walking about 20 metres a taxi pulled over on its way out of the lower car park and the nice driver gave us the same advice as the other man and offered to take us to the top for 10 Turkish Lira. So, this sounded a good option and not expensive, so we hopped in his taxi.
Karen explained that we liked to walk and were in ‘training’ to do the Portuguese Camino next year. Our driver then started to tell us before being a driver he had been a semi-professional footballer for many years and had been fit then, but getting exercise was tough in his current job. It turned out he was firstly a Galatasaray fan and secondly a Liverpool fan – which is a popular combination in Turkey (they all love Mohammed Salah). He also told us that he’d recently had an elderly couple he’d transported who are season ticket holders at Newcastle United and had sat in the same seats at the ground for the last 18 years. That is dedication for you!
Our driver dropped us off and we made our way to the entrance of Ephesus.
Ephesus was built in the 10th century BCE on the site of Apasa, the former Arzawan capital, by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era, it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League. The city came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BCE. Its many monumental buildings included the Library of Celsus and a theatre capable of holding 24,000 spectators.
Ephesus was the recipient city of one of the Pauline epistles; one of the seven churches of Asia addressed in the Book of Revelation; the Gospel of John may have been written there; and it was the site of several 5th-century Christian Councils (see Council of Ephesus). The city was destroyed by the Goths in 263. Although it was afterwards rebuilt, its importance as a commercial centre declined as the harbour was slowly silted up by the Küçükmenderes River. In 614 CE, it was partially destroyed by an earthquake. In 2015, the ruins were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Coming down the hill one of the first buildings we came to was the Odeon. This building has the shape of a small theatre with a stage building, seating places, and an orchestra. It had a double function in use. First, it was used as a Bouleuterion for the meetings of the Boules or the Senate. The second function was the Odeum as a concert hall for the performances. It was constructed in the 2nd century CE by the order of Publius Vedius Antonius and his wife Flavia Paiana, two wealthy citizens in Ephesus.
Just across from the Odeon was the State Agora. It was built in the Roman Period in the first century BCE. This agora was used not for commerce but for business, it played an important role as a meeting place for governmental discussions. During the excavations in the northeast corner of the Agora were found a great number of graves from the 7th-6th centuries BCE, a stone-paved road, and an archaic sarcophagus of terra cotta.
We continued down the hill along Curetes Street, past the Temple of Domitian, where we took a stop to photo a statue of Nike. Passing further down the street was one of the best-preserved buildings in Ephesus, the Temple of Hadrian. It was built before 138 CE by P. Quintilius and was dedicated to Emperor Hadrian, who came to visit the city from Athens in 128 A.D. The facade of the temple has four Corinthian columns supporting a curved arch, in the middle of which contains a relief of Tyche, the goddess of victory.
On the side of the hill was a set of terrace houses that were covered by canvas walls and roofs. It was an extra charge for going inside to look, which we decided to skip. But we did stop to admire some very impressive mosaics close by.
Not too much further on was the most iconic of all the buildings in Ephesus, the Celsus Library. This building is it is not only a library but a mausoleum as well, as it consists of the tomb of Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus who had been consul in 92 CE and who was the governor of the province of Asia in 115 CE. After his death, his son, Consul Gaius Julius Aquila had the library built in his father’s honour. The library was completed in 135 CE and Celsus’ body was put in a white marble sarcophagus which was placed in a crypt beneath the building. When you enter the main hall, you will see an apse right in front of you and beneath the apse, one can see the burial room that contains the sarcophagus. The scrolls of the manuscripts were kept in cupboards in niches on the walls. There were double walls behind the bookcases to prevent them from the extremes of temperature and humidity. The capacity of the library was more than 12,000 scrolls. It was the third richest library in ancient times after the Alexandra and Pergamum.
It is a beautiful structure but has had a difficult history. The interior of the library and all its books were destroyed by fire in the devastating earthquake that struck the city in 262. Only the facade survived. About 400 CE, the library was used for other purposes. The facade was completely destroyed by a later earthquake, likely in the late Byzantine period. In the 1960s and 1970s, the facade was restored.
From the Celsus Library, we continued our walk through the impressive Gate of Mazeus and into the Commercial Agora, which used to be linked to the harbour before it got silted up and fell into disrepair. This trade area was established in Ephesus in the Hellenistic times, in the 3rd century BCE and over the centuries it changed shape and size many times.
Close to the Agora is another of the ancient city’s most impressive buildings the Ephesus Great Theatre. It was first built in the Hellenic era by the Greeks and later expanded by the Romans. It was capable of seating 25,000 people.
We were largely done with the ancient city but went to have a look at the interactive Ephesus Experience Museum, which uses immersive multimedia to take you back to the ancient times of Ephesus. It looked good but we were put off by the 800TL (about USD $30) price tag.
Before leaving Ephesus we spotted a sign for the Virgin Mary Churches. Ephesus had an important role in the birth of the Christian religion. Ephesus was a recipient city of one of the Pauline epistles and one of the seven churches of Asia addressed in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here. So, we thought we would take a look at the ruins of the early Christian churches.
The Virgin Mary Church is where the Universal Council of 431 AD convened. It is the first church to be built in the name of the Virgin Mary and is often called as the Double Church since one part of the church was for Mother Mary and the other was for John the Apostle. The structure was used as an educational center for Ephesian Christian priests and also a public meeting house.
Planning your visit to Ephesus
Today, Ephesus Ancient City is located near the small farming of Selcuk which is approximately 50 miles southwest of Izmir and is 15 miles away from the Port of Kusadasi.
Ephesus from İzmir
If you are staying in Izmir, a professional tour guide and a driver will pick you up and after a 45-mins drive, you arrive in the town of Selcuk which is home to the ruins of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, The Basilica of St John, The Village of Sirince and The Temple of Artemis.
If you are willing to use public transportation, there are both buses and trains to Selcuk from Izmir.
What is the distance between Izmir and Ephesus?
The distance between Izmir and Ephesus is about 53 miles (85 km).
How to get from Izmir to Ephesus by train?
Turkish Railways (TCDD) operates a train from Izmir Basmane to Selçuk every 4 hours. The first thing to do is head to the Basmane Train Railway Station which is located at the heart of Izmir. Here, you need to take the Basmane-Denizli Train to the town of Selcuk where Ephesus is. The train journey takes about 80 mins to Selcuk. After arriving, you need to go to the Selcuk Bus Station which is 5 minutes walking distance to Selcuk Railway Station. You can find minibuses running regularly and frequently going to Ephesus at the Selcuk Bus Station. Minibuses are called ”dolmus” in Turkey. You can also find taxis waiting to help you (at a price to be negotiated).
How to get from Izmir to Ephesus by bus?
There are several bus companies that have regular and frequent buses from Izmir Bus Station to Selcuk.
Ephesus from İstanbul
If you are in Istanbul and like to visit Ephesus:
There are numerous flights to Izmir from Istanbul during the day and very reasonably priced. Izmir has the nearest airport to Ephesus. The flight will take around one hour. Izmir airport doesn’t have a lot of public transport options but some airlines provide free shuttle between Izmir airport and Selcuk.
There are no trains between Istanbul and Selcuk but there are intercity buses which are quite comfortable and frequent but it takes almost 10 hours. It is also possible to take a ferry from Istanbul to Bandirma, transfer to the train to Izmir and then take another train to Selcuk but both ways will be a very long and also exhausting day.
Travelling by Cruise Ship
If your cruise ship docks in Kusadasi harbour or Izmir harbour you can easily visit Ephesus. It takes 20 minutes to drive to Ephesus from Kusadasi port and around 1 hour 15 minutes from Izmir.
In summary
- Start your visit to Ephesus at the second entrance, not the main entrance. You will avoid walking uphill, which is a blessing on a hot day.
- If you visit in the summer wear sunscreen and a hat there is not much shade inside. Also, take water inside with you as there is nowhere to buy refreshments within the park.
- As of 2024 the entrance fee for adults is 40 euros but does include entry to the multimedia experience.
The best time to visit Ephesus
Coldest time of the year is January and February. Average temperature these days are approximately 10 C /40 F. Almost never have any snow. Rainy season is in between October and April. It hardly rains in the summer time. The warmest time of the year is July and August. Midday temperature rises upto 43 C/110F. Best time to visit Ephesus is April, May, October, November. This is the time the weather is neither hot, nor cold.
Other things to do while in Selçuk
Virgin Mary House
As the suspected place of her assumption, the Catholic church runs the house of the Virgin Mary although to date; there is no official verification from the Pope that this is indeed where she spent her last days. That does not stop thousands of pilgrims every year from making the journey to pray in the small, stone house.
Cave of the Seven Sleepers
The seven sleepers story appears in the Bible and the Quran, making this a religious site to visit, although once again, no confirmation or verification has proved this is where the seven citizens of Ephesus went to sleep and woke up hundreds of years later. The restaurant nearby serves delicious Turkish food.
Saint John’s Basilica
Likewise, this place is rumoured to be where the tomb of Saint John is. Both the Virgin Mary and Saint John spent time in Ephesus, and the Basilica is the perfect follow up visit to the city, that is also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation mentioned in the Bible’s New Testament.
Isa Bey Mosque
Just down the road from Saint John’s Basilica is the 14th century Isa Bey Mosque with marvellous exterior architecture. Open to visitors outside of prayer time; it takes just 30 minutes to appreciate its history and appearance.
Where to stay in Selçuk
1. Akanthus Hotel Ephesus
Akanthus Hotel Ephesus has an outdoor swimming pool, garden, a terrace and bar in Selçuk. Located around 1.9 miles from Church of Mary, the hotel with free WiFi is also 11 miles away from Kusadasi Marina. The property is allergy-free throughout and is located 1.9 miles from Great Theatre of Ephesus.
The rooms come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a minibar, a electric tea pot, a shower, free toiletries and a desk. Rooms contain a private bathroom with a hairdryer, while certain rooms are equipped with a patio and others also feature city views. At the hotel the rooms have bed linen and towels.
2. Hotel Kalehan
Recently renovated, Kalehan is a long established family-run hotel built and landscaped in the style of an Ottoman inn using traditional materials and antique furniture just beneath the Byzantine Castle. Large collection of books are available for guests. All the rooms and the restaurant are surrounded by a large attractive garden with swimming pool. There are special rooms decorated with antiques and located in a separate building facing the beautiful rose garden.
3. Livia Garden Hotel
Livia Garden Hotel features free bikes, outdoor swimming pool, a garden and restaurant in Selçuk. Featuring a bar, the hotel is close to several noted attractions, around a 3-minute walk from Ephesus Museum, 400 yards from Artemis Temple and a 4-minute walk from Basilica of St. John, Ephesus. The property provides a 24-hour front desk, airport transportation, room service and free WiFi. At the hotel each room is equipped with air conditioning, a closet, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen, towels and a patio with a city view. Rooms have a coffee machine, while certain rooms include a balcony and others also offer pool views. Guest rooms include a safety deposit box.
More to Explore
