Ephesus Archaeological Site
Ephesus (Efes in Turkish), the masterpiece of Aegean archeology, is apparently the most evocative ancient center in the eastern Mediterranean, and one of the best reconstructed ancient sites in the world. The remarkably preserved ruins rediscovered in the late 1800s and excavations have been going on for almost a century. The site is a delight to explore: marble-paved alleys with grooves made by chariot wheels lead past partially reconstructed buildings and monuments. The relics are especially appealing off-season when the place can seem deserted. In the summer, it's packed with tourists, many of whom pour off the ships that cruise the Aegean and call at Kusadası, 20 km (12 miles) to the south. (Cruise ships have been known to organize rather campy "historical" shows inside Ephesus itself, finished with polyester togas and fake trumpets.) Travel early or late in the day, if viable. Guides are available in the ring stands ringing the parking lot, but be sure to gauge their skills and English before you strike a deal. Many travelers find the portable audio guide available inside the site (15 TL) a convenient, inexpensive, and reliable substitute—it even comes with a map. Alternatively, join a tour from Izmir, Selçuk, Kusadası
Ancient Ephesus began from a seaside village to a powerful trading port and sacred hub for the cult of Artemis. Its fame drew the attention of a series of heroes, among them Croesus of Lydia and 6th-century BC Cyrus of Persia. After a Greek revolution against the Persians failed, the people of Ephesus, exercising active diplomacy, managed to avoid conflict by appealing each side, both of which took turns controlling the city until Hellenistic times. The city visited by influential leaders such as Alexander the Great, who aided the city in its efforts to rebuild.
Like all Ionian cities in Asia Minor, Ephesus was captured by the Romans and finally became Christian. St. Paul is thought to have written some of his Epistles hereabouts, and was later driven out by the city's silversmiths for teaching that their models of the goddess Diana (the Greek Artemis) were not eternal. The artisans were "full of wrath, and cried out, saying 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians'" (Acts 19:24–40). St. John hit Ephesus between 37 and 48 AD, perhaps with the Virgin Mary, and again in 95, when he apparently wrote his gospel and then died. In 431, Ephesus was the scene of the Third Ecumenical Council, during which Mary proclaimed the Mother of God; the remains of the basilica that housed the Council is near the Lower Gate of the site.
Ephesus doomed by the silting in its harbor. By the 6th century, the port had become worthless, and the community had shifted to Selçuk; today Ephesus is 5 km (about 3 miles) from the water. The new city, then known as Ayasuluk or Ayasulug, was surrounded by ramparts, and a citadel built on the hill still known as Ayasuluk Hill. In the year 1000, Turks from the east, Crusaders came from the west. The first Seljuk attackers were fought off in 1090, and the Byzantines kept out until 1304. The town incorporated into the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 15th century.