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The Ephesus Antic City
is a complete Roman City only 1 hour drive from
Izmir with baths, library, theater, gymnasium,
temples and fountains. Founded by the Carians, Ephesus was one of
the 12 Ionian Cities. It was conquered by
Alexander the Great at
335 BC and prospered during the Hellenistic period. It passed to
Roman Empire in 133 BC and became the capital of Asia Minor (province of
Asia). Ephesus lies only 10 km to
Selcuk and only 20 km
to Kusadasi. This huge Roman site, one of the best preserved ancient
cities in the world will take a whole day to see every part
in detail.
Soon after the entering
Ephesus you will see the ruins of Vedius Gymnasium, which was built by a
rich local businessman in the late 2nd century BC, in the name of Vedius
Antonius. It is a magnificent structure, built as a venue for sporting
events and cultural education and contains practice fields and dressing rooms,
baths, a courtyard and a ceremonial room in the centre of the Gymnasium. To
the south of the Gymnasium is the Stadium, where races, games, and Olympic events took
place.
After passing the Stadium
you will come across the
Byzantines public baths. Near the Byzantine
public baths, the church holds special importance in
Christian
history. Being built between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD, it was originally a
museum and a venue for educational
 courses and discussions. The church was destroyed by
a fire in
the 4th century AD and rebuilt as a brand new church, which became the venue of the
third Ecumenical Council in 431 AD. It is the first church which is dedicated
to Virgin Mary. According to the
ancient church historians, Virgin Mary visited Ephesus towards the end
of her life at 45 AD with St. Paul and the local Christians of Ephesus
built her a small house near Ephesus. (also, in 1967, Pope Paul VI.
visited Ephesus)
 Beyond the church is
the Arcadiane Way, a huge wide street over 500 meters long and 11 meters wide. Named
after the 5th century Byzantine Emperor Arcadius who renovated it, it was
the street which ran towards the port, and where kings were greeted and
religious ceremonies took place. The 400 meter long Marble Street, also known
as the Sacred Way, begins at the base of the amphitheatre and runs along the
agora and Serapis Temple. The Marble Street was rebuilt during the 5th century.
 The Ancient Theater of
Ephesus is one of most beautiful and best preserved of all the Ephesus ruins.
The theater, now, is used as the venue for the annual Ephesus Festival. With a
capacity of over 25,000 spectators, it was built during the
Hellenistic period, with reconstruction
continuing during Empire Claudius times, and finalised
between in 116 AD.
The other marble floored street
of Ephesus starts from Magnesia gate placed at south-east of Ephesus and lie
towards the Koresos gate placed at north-west of Ephesus, is approximately
450 meters long street is rebuilt in the 5th AD.
The famous Celcius Library
which is maybe the most important point of the Ephesus ruins, is
adjacent to the commercial Agora, built by Asian consul Gaius Julius
Aquila, in 135 AD, in memory of his father who is entombed there. In a
building showing all the characteristics of the Roman architecture, the
front is decorated with replicas of statues of four women
between the front columns, symbolising mind, destiny, science and
wisdom. The original columns are unfortunately in the Vienna Museum.
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