Library of Celsus at Ephesus
Selçuk, Turkey
October 4, 2008
Selçuk, Turkey
October 4, 2008
In the 2nd Century, Ephesus was second only to Rome. Home to almost half a million people and site of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it’s outdoor theatre is said to be the largest in the world. As a port city it thrived for over 500 years before the river silted up and restricted sea trade hastening the city’s decline. But in it’s golden age it must have been astonishing.
For someone who loves strolling through antiquity just the names of the sites were a thrill – the Temple of Artemis, the Library of Celsus (photo), the Temple of Hadrian, the Gate of Heracles, Marble Street and the Fountain of Pollio. Outside the main site are more temptations – the ruined Basilica of St John (burial place of St John the Apostle), the cave of the Seven Sleepers (who slept for 400 years), the House of the Virgin Mary (where she spent her last days) and the Temple of Artemis (the 7th Wonder itself). Fortunately, this bounty of ruins surrounds the charming town of Selçuk which provided a very comfortable homebase for at least a week’s worth of exploration.
