Ephesus

run there regularly. Ephesus itself is 4 kin. that special month. Sportsmen， musicians<br >from Selcuk. You can find transport from and theatre players used to attract people<br >Sel.cuk at any time. On the way back to Izmir from the surrounding area， and spectators<br >it is also easy to find a bus. from as far away as Jerusalem and Athens<br >2. The second way is via Kusadasl (Scala as well. The great Temple of Artemis at Ephe-<br >Nova， or in very early times. Nee-Polls): sus was one of the 7 wonders of the ancient<br >Most of the trourists coming by ship to Tur- world. The ruins of Ephesus are magnificent.<br >key in order to visit Ephesus， first call at Though hundreds of years have passed， and<br >Ku~adash a pleasant resort town on the in spite of the ravages of time， they have sur-<br >shores of the Aegean. From there， a main vived to the present day， and even more than<br >road takes you the 19 I~m. to Ephesus. that， they still preserve their grace and ele-<br > gance. After its decline. Ephesus was aban-<br > doned and forgotten for a long time. About a<br >GENERAL INFORMATION century ago the excavations of this ancient<br >ABOUT EPHESUS city began. Restoration has been undertaken<br >The name of Ephesus does not only remind continuously over the last ten years， so that<br >one of the city itself， but also calls to mind some of this historical treasure， which had<br >Artemis， St. John and the Church of St. previously been buried for centuries， can now<br > be seen and admired by millions.<br >Mary. The latter attracts the interest of<br >Christians all over the world. However， these<br >sites are some distance from each other.<br >The distance between St. John and St. Mary THE HISTORY OF EPHESUS<br >for example， is about 10 km.， and if you wish Ephesus was first constructed on a bay<br >to see the monuments between them you where the KQ.cOk Menderes river (classical<br >should spend a whole day there. When you Kaystros) reached the sea in western Ana-<br >spend a night at Selcuk， you will not only be tolia. This area is almost in the middle of an-<br >able to see the history and wonders of centu- cient Ionia， which has a mild， wet climate，<br >ries past， as well as the House of the Virgin so that it has many natural advantages as a<br >Mary (which was discovered through the vi- place for people to settle. It was not only si-<br >sion of a pious Bohemian woman， but you will tuated at an important point joining the<br >also enjoy the hospitality and customs of the West and the East， but was also at the<br >Turkish people. Ephesus was built in the crossroads between Miletus and Ionia. The<br >most beautiful part of Western Anatolia. You fine arts， the sciences， and philosophers<br >realize this as soon as you enter the city. In such as Heraclitus and Thales， flourished<br >fact it is not difficult to imagine the historical and developed in Ionia. The cities of Ionia<br >~past of the city， namely that of the Roman showed strong religious characteristics<br >era， when Ephesus was the capital of five from the beginning， and became politically<br >hundred Anatolian towns， well-organised. Every city was self-<br >This was after the period in which Homer governing. Ephesus has always been a city<br >wrote his immortal works， and the time in under two influences: The first geological，<br >which St. John lived and died. At that time the second political， indeed it is difficult to<br >you could see the stairs of the colossal thea- separate these two influences from each<br >tre from the sea far away， and the huge glea- other， and one has always been the cause<br >ruing columns of the Temple of Artemis， of the other or the result of it. It is not cer-<br >which once used to blind people with their rain who first founded Ephesus and when.<br >beauty. About 250.000 people used to live Our first information about it comes from<br >in this famous city where the most skilful arti- the year 2000 B，C.， and its existence was<br >sans and rich merchants gathered together， mentioned near the temple of the mother<br >The entertainments held in honour of Arte- goddess Kybele， a figure who was later cal-<br >mis every year during April， were very gay. led Artemis. The oldest sources record that<br >Spectators used to fill the theatres， which the Amazons founded the town， and that it<br >~vere an essential part of their lives. About a was then inhabited by the Carians and the<br >million people made up the audiences during Lelegians.<br >