Ruins

The ancient city of Ephesus (Efes) is probably one of the best set of ruins you can visit in Turkey. They are a quick three kilometer walk from the city of Selcuk, and, for what you get to see, a pretty good value.

The ruins are pretty extensive and built up enough to give you a good impression of what the location may have looked like, yet not so rebuilt as to erase the fact that they are so ancient.

One of the more impressive building to be given special treatment by the archeologists is the Celsus Library. It held probably 12,000 scrolls and in it's day was likely even more impressive.

Another impressive structure is the Greco-Roman Great Theater. It held approximately 25,000 people. It is interesting to think that the people would undertake building a structure such as that for entertainment. It shows how prosperous the city was at the time. For some nice panoramas of the theater, visit its page at The Ancient Theater Archive.

When visiting Ephesus, be sure to take the time and to wander around and notice all the little details like sewers under the streets, the water delivery system for the baths, the mosaics along the streets and the few remaining frescoes in a couple of the buildings.

Try to visit the structures at the very western edge of the site. They are less frequently visited and the columns and doors there were built to a much larger scale. They are huge.

There is a separate entrance fee for a particular structure at the ruins site. They have covered over a section of a hillside that holds the remains of several houses which supposedly give a good picture of what the life of a city dweller would have looked like back in the day. I didn't go in because I thought the price was a bit high, and the museum in Selcuk shows some of the material and structures on display.

Outside the gates of the ruins to the north and east a bit is the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers. The site itself is not overly impressive, but what is more interesting to me is the story that goes along with the location. I think the fact that the story is mentioned in both Christian and Islamic texts, with slight differences, is rather interesting.

I shot my own panorama of the ruins of Ephesus. It was taken from near the top of the mountain to the south of the main site. The photo is a bit hazy so I'll apologize in advance; but then it was a hazy day and I was pretty far away.

Be sure to visit the ruins of Ephesus if you get to the area. Until then, click below to enjoy the rest of my pictures from that day.