Ephesus (Efes)

Ephesus Library Detail

Today we were off to see Ephesus, the best preserved/restored ancient site in Turkey. The highlights are the Celsus library, the theatre, the volume of ruins that have been found and restored and of course the proximity to the Virgin Mary’s last home on earth.

Library and entrance to Agora

Curetes Way The Main street

Size of walls to theatre

Gladiator Entrance in theatre

Gladiator tunnel

A day in the life of
Sandra the Gladiator

The theatre was impressive and while the site had been created before Christ, it was renovated later to incorporate Gladiator and wild animal fights. This theatre had the notoriety of booing St Paul after a speech he made there denouncing paganism, whereby the crowd chanted for 3 hrs after, their love for the pagan goddess Artemis. Later St Paul was forced to leave Ephesus but would later write, when he was banished to the Greek island of Patmos, his letters to the Ephesians. Ironically, the temple of Artemis was torn down and the stone, columns and marble used to construct the Basilica to St John in the 4th century. This Basilica besides being impacted by earthquakes, was recycled somewhat in 1340 by the Muslims who built their Isla Rey mosque at the base of the Basilica. What goes around comes around I guess.

The Latrine multi seat  no separation of
 sexes. Water in the front trough was to wash nether regions. 
Water would flush rear "deposit" area as required.

This site is impressive in size and quantity of remains and we’d highly recommend it.

Bapistry at Mary's Church

After the St Johns Basilica I was revved up for Mary’s house but it didn’t live up to my expectation. It’s more memorial and shrine than a real ancient house in the woods but Mary's church was good at Ephesus.

Foundation of house

Actual Memorial to
the Blessed Virgin Mary

Prayer wishing wall