Ephesus

Ephesus was one of the greatest cities of the ancient Mediterranean, a Greek and then Roman metropolis traditionally said to have held a quarter of a million people, though modern estimates run lower near the Aegean coast, and today one of the best-preserved classical cities anywhere. Its marble streets lead past the magnificent facade of the Library of Celsus, the vast theatre that held twenty-five thousand, temples, baths and terraced houses, a UNESCO window into the Roman world.

History

People lived around Ephesus by about 6000 BC, and Ayasuluk Hill holds Early Bronze Age settlements; Hittite sources name Apasa as the capital of the kingdom of Arzawa, probably the later Ephesus, and a Mycenaean burial ground of 1500-1400 BC was found near the basilica of St John in 1954. Attic and Ionian colonists founded the Greek city in the 10th century BC, legend says under Androklos, son of King Kodros of Athens; it joined the Ionian League, its Temple of Artemis, completed around 550 BC, was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, and it came under Rome in 129 BC, later counting the Library of Celsus and a theatre for 24,000 among its buildings. John Turtle Wood began searching for the Artemision in 1863 and found its pavement in 1869, and Otto Benndorf resumed the digs in 1895 and founded in 1898 the Austrian Archaeological Institute, which still leads the work (Wikipedia, Ephesus).

What you'll find

• The Library of Celsus - the magnificent restored two-storey facade.
• The Great Theatre - the vast amphitheatre carved into the hillside.
• The marble streets - the colonnaded avenues of the ancient city.
• The Terrace Houses - the frescoed and mosaic homes of the wealthy.

When to go

Spring and autumn for mild weather; summer is fiercely hot on the shadeless marble, so go at opening or late afternoon and bring water and a hat. It is busy with cruise groups, so early or late is calmer.

Things to know

It is exposed and shadeless, punishing in summer heat, so go early or late with water and a hat. It is very popular with cruise and tour groups, busiest midday. It is large, so allow half a day, and the frescoed Terrace Houses are a worthwhile extra ticket.

Nearby

Selcuk, the House of the Virgin Mary and the beaches of the Aegean coast are close; Pamukkale is within reach.

Key facts