Ephesus

EPHESUS

EPHESUS Ephesus was the 4th largest city of the Roman Empire, after Rome, Alexandria and Antioch of Cilicia. Today, Ephesus is the largest Roman excavation site in Turkey. The grand avenues and intact social buildings help one build the city in their imagination with not too much of an effort. As one walks in the theater, which had a seating capacity of 24,000, the sounds of the enraged Ephesians, led by Demitrius the silversmith, can almost be heard. According to Acts 19 St Paul, who visited Ephesus twice, was never given an opportunity to speak in this theater when the Ephesians were reminded that St Paul and his teachings were a threat to the way they made their living. So Paul wrote everything he had to say to the Ephesians in his letters. Thus Ephesus is mentioned not only in Acts but there is a whole big chapter in the Bible named the ''Epistle of Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.''

MUSEUM OF EPHESUS

The museum of Ephesus is a very rich little local museum. Visiting the museum before one goes to the ruins of the city of Ephesus will help you to visualize the grandeur of the city .  The finds from the houses leaves no doubt in one’s mind that Ephesus was very rich city and the owners of the houses had excellent taste for their furniture and for the things that they had  used  to make their daily lives easier and more meaningful.

The statue of Artemis  stands up in a room dedicated only to this Goddess and she looks like she still has the grandeur of the days when the world was worshiping in her.

THE LAST HOME OF THE VIRGIN MARY

The mother of Jesus was given to the care of St John when Jesus said  “thy is your mother take care” . After crucifixion, St John came to Ephesus and  spent the rest of his life in this city which was, according to the Bible, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.  Since Mother Mary was trusted in the caring hands of St John, it is believed that he must have brought her along.

Having the church dedicated in the name of the Virgin is another argument used to prove that this is her home because in the early times of Christianity, a church would have been named after a person only if she or he had lived in the locality.

If being at the last home of the virgin does not interest you, there is still a good reason to visit this house which stands as the house of peace since Christians and Moslems alike they worship here shoulder to shoulder  , side by side.

THE TERRACE HOUSES OF EPHESUS

The grand city of Ephesus was quickly evacuated when the citizens of the city started dying of Malaria. Thinking that there were evil spirits trying to get them, the Ephesians deserted the city and settled at an another location, which then was called the 4th city of Ephesus.

What they left behind  is the dream of every archaeologist to excavate. Complete houses with fabulous frescoes on the walls, the furniture which have either been made of marble or wood, statues of their deities and loved ones, the jewelry, cooking utensils, amazing sewer and plumbing system and many more. In Ephesus, the houses is a separate tour and we always include the houses in our tour program.

MELI’S COUNTRY HOUSE

After the Ephesus tour, visit Meli's Country House where you will have an opportunity to taste home made Turkish food, and a chance to meet a Turkish family. We hope that any personal experience that one can have through interacting with the locals while travelling would leave long lasting memories.